A Series of Avatar One Shots
by P.Rose205
Summary: A group of Companion pieces to The Last. A little something about everyone. Includes Summer Kataang Week, Tokka Week, and Zuki Week 2013.
1. Call Him Captain

**Call Him Captain**

Aang wanted he and his friends to spend his seventeenth birthday on Ember Island so they did. On that night they sat around a fire on the beach. He and Katara leaned against a fallen tree, a cover thrown across them. On their left Ty Lee, Toph and Suki laughed and gossiped and across from them sat Sokka and Zuko.

"Hey!" Sokka called as he threw another log on the fire. Everyone looked at him "Hands where I can see 'em!" Katara cut her eyes at him and Aang made the flames flare ten feet in the air. The young women laughter as Sokka screeched and jumped back. He recovered his composure and said "I don't give a damn Mr. Avatar, just keep your mitts off my baby sister!"

He went and sat back down beside Zuko. "You really need to ease up on them. You know what they call you right?"

"Yep," the warrior said puffing his chest out "Captain Cock-Block. A title I wear with pride."

The Fire Lord shook his head "What a hypocrite."

"Call me what you want."

"You act like you and Suki didn't-" Zuko paused when his friend snapped him a hurt and hardened look "You act like you've never done anything sexual."

Sokka looked down "Yeah, and look how that turned out." he said sadly.

"You can't compare them to you. Just look at them."

The two men looked across the fire at the couple. Katara playfully turned her back to Aang, pulling the blanked away from him. He laughed and whispered something to her as he reached and tugged on the cover. She giggled over her shoulder as he grabbed a bigger handful of the blanket and pulled it and her into him and planted an over exaggerated kiss on her cheek.

"They're going to be together forever." Zuko went on "What are you going to do when they get married."

"Then I'll back off." Sokka shrugged "But until thin call me Captain."

Zuko groaned, closed his eyes and rolled his head back.


	2. The Secret Keeper

Have a little Taang friendship. If you want to know what Toph and Sokka were doing go read "Why She Loves Him "

I love playing in Bryke's world

* * *

**The Secret Keeper**

Toph came into the living room and sighed. Somebody was on the couch, but they had their feet up so she couldn't tell who. She hated that damned couch. It was too damn plush and too damn fluffy and she could never get a good read on who was in it when they stretched out. Then the chuckling started.

_Damn it. Aang. _she thought _I wonder if he's wearing shoes. _"What's so funny Twinkletoes?"

The laughing stopped abruptly "Toph, I'm almost eighteen years old, it's not cute anymore. When are you going to stop calling me that?"

"I don't know, maybe when we're thirty…I'll think about it." she shrugged "So what's so funny?" she felt his feet hit the floor _Damn it. No shoes. I wonder what he knows._

Aang smiled at Toph and fought the urge to sing his words in a taunt "You and Sokka are funny." he pulled his legs up on the couch and folded them.

_Why did I teach him to see like I do? He knows too much. I might have to kill him._

Aang went on "You might as well admit you like him. I know already."

"Who the hell said I liked Sokka?" she balked.

"Your heart." he answered simply

"Why the fuck did I teach you that?" she muttered.

"Because you're a good sifu." he answered "Look, don't worry. I won't say anything to anyone if you don't want me to. I was just shocked to come home and feel, well, you know what you were doing." he paused for a second "I really need to start wearing shoes. There are some things you just don't want to know."

"Ya think?" Toph said landing her hands on her hips and trying her best to cut her eyes at Aang "I've been meaning to tell you and Sweetness to do me a favor and keep the sneak-a-feel sessions to a minimum when I'm around. It's sickening."

Aang rubbed his hand across his head "Sorry about that." he chuckled "Maybe if Sokka wasn't so good at being Captain Cock-block, but you know how he is, so we appreciate each other when we can."

Toph pursed her lips and raised her eyebrow "Is that what you call it? 'Appreciate each other?' That's just weird."

"Yeah, well…wait, we bother you, but you can just stand there while Sokka's polishing his jewels."

Toph frowned "What is it with you and euphemisms?"

He huffed "The point _is_ it doesn't bother you."

Toph sighed and sat on the couch, something she rarely did "No, it doesn't. it's like…okay, if Katara was" she rolled her eyes "polishing her jewels, you'd watch right."

"Oh yeah." he sighed dreamily.

Toph grimaced "Ohhhhhhkay. Anyway, if it was me would you watch?"

He snapped to attention "Well, not saying I wouldn't look for a second, but I definitely wouldn't stand there and watch."

"Exactly." they sat together for a moment "Twinkletoes, what am I going to do. I'm in love with the big meathead ands he's still got Suki on the brain."

"I don' know Toph. Maybe you should tell him."

"Not an option." she said sadly.

"Well then I don't know. Somebody once told me you have to face situations head on, you can't always dance around them. I think this is one of those things." He looked at her. Her expression was soft, and sad "But I can't tell you what to do. I can just keep your secret and be here when you need to talk."

Toph smiled at him, tears shimmering in the bottoms of her eyes "Thanks Aang." she laid her head on his shoulder "You're a good friend." they sat in silence for a minute then, softly she said "Hey Aang."

"Yes Toph?"

She continued in the same soft tone "If you ever use my words against me again I'll shove them back down your throat and out your ass."

He smiled "I know you will."


	3. Untitled Kataang Breakup Piece

**Untitled Kataang Breakup Piece**

Sokka held his head down and exhaled. He couldn't believe they were arguing again. What was worse was the fact that Toph had gone back to start the next session at her academy, so she wouldn't be back for months. He opened the door and moved as quickly as he could past the bickering couple to his bedroom.

"I can't believe you don't see it!" Katara snipped, throwing her hands in the air "For Spirit's sake Aang, you're eighteen years old! You can't be _that_ naive!"

"Katara, I don't even worry about it. Xing Ying handles that and she does a good job of it." he said back harshly "Why would I care anyway? It's not like their advances would work."

Katara groaned "Aang, Xing Ying is only one person, she can only be in one place at a time. She's weeding out the ones who are there for the wrong reasons, but she may miss things. Not everyone is trustworthy and there are way too many people out there who are really good liars. I'm telling you, that last group of so called Air Acolytes didn't join for the right reasons."

"And every woman I meet does not have some sinister plan to be with me. You're just being jealous, and I gotta tell you, it's not very becoming."

The water bender drew her head back in offence "Jealous?! I'm not jealous, I'm realistic. Something _you_ need to be more often."

"Realistic?!" Aang balked "You want me to be realistic! Let's be realistic, let's talk about Haru!"

"Haru?"

"Yes Haru! Your good old buddy Haru who'd like nothing better than to get you in bed."

Katara folded her arms "Haru is just a friend and you know it."

Aang frowned at her "A friend. Yeah, a friend that hugs a little too tight, a little too long. That stands obnoxiously close to talk."

"He does that to everyone."

"No. he doesn't. Only to you. While you were so busy _seeing_ things I don't know why you didn't see _that_!"

"Because there's nothing _to_ see."

"Because maybe you don't _want_ to see it. Maybe you secretly want to be with him!"

"And maybe you want to go take up with some of those fake acolyte groupies!"

"Maybe I should, they'd probably treat me better than you do!" Katara didn't say anything back. She just looked at him, her face turning red with rage. "Look, Katara, I didn't mean that." he apologized, the anger on his face melting into regret "I don't want anyone but you. I never have and I never will. That was just anger talking."

Katara turned wordlessly and stomped down the hall, the Avatar following her, still apologizing. She paused and knock on the boy's bedroom door "Sokka! Get the balloon ready!" she yelled out before he could say anything the she continued down the hall toward the room she and Toph shared, Aang still following her.

Sokka opened the door as soon as she reached hers "Where are you going in my balloon?"

She opened her door and looked at her brother, her face marred by anger and hurt "I'm going home," she said, then she looked at Aang and said softly "I don't want to stay here anymore." before she slammed the door in his face and locked it.

"Katara, please!" he yelled "Just listen. I didn't mean that. Let me come in. Talk to me."

Katara cracked the door just enough to stick her face out "What?" she snapped, her face wet with tears.

Aang reached a hand out to wipe the tears away but she snatched her head back "Katara, don't go." he said quietly, aware Sokka was in the background.

"I can't do this anymore Aang. All we do is argue. I…I have to go." she pulled back and closed the door.

"Katara!" he yelled as he beat his fist against the door "Katara, don't do this!"

Sokka stepped forward and put his hand on Aang's shoulder "Come on buddy." he said tugging gently. The young man turned around, his face streaked with tears "Give her some time."

The air bender looked back to the door "She can't go Sokka." he said quietly.

"I know." Sokka answered "Hey, isn't it time to go feed Appa and Momo?" he asked trying to change the subject "You'd better go before Momo gets into the cupboards again." Aang just looked at him "Well, go on. If Momo tears up the kitchen again I'm not helping you clean it up."

Aang nodded his head and started down the hall, then turned back. "Please, get her to stay Sokka."

"I'll try." he answered with a small smile. When Aang rounded the corner he stepped to Katara's door "Hey Sis," he said as he tapped lightly "it's me. Let me in."

The door opened just a bit and there was his sister, shoving a parka into a duffle bag "Katara," he said softly "You don't have to go. Whatever it is, you guys will work it out."

She didn't look at him, grabbed the last pile of clothes off the bed and started putting it in a second bag "Is the balloon ready yet?"

"Not yet." he said. She glared at him "Katara, is it really so bad that you have to leave?"

She finally looked up at him and spoke in a soft voice "I can't go on this anymore, Sokka. All we do is argue. It's…it's just too much."

"So you're going to go running home to GranGran?"

She heaved the duffel bag on her shoulder "Yes, that's exactly what I'm doing."

She reached for her second bag, but he took it out of her hand, then took the duffle bag. They went up to the roof and Sokka lit the fire in the balloons furnace before he helped his sister load wood from the pile into the basket. When they were finished he hugged his sister "Pass this on to Dad, GranGran and Pakku for me."

"I will." she said quietly, then got on the balloon.

As Katara started to take off he said "Take care, come back soon!"

"I don't know if I'm coming back." she said as she drifted away from him.

The young warrior exhaled, held his head down and turned around. When he raised his head he saw Aang standing on the edge of the roof "You helped her," he said, stunned "you helped her leave me."

"Aang, it's not like that. No matter what I said she would've left." Aang closed his eyes and turned his head "She'll come back. I guarantee it. She loves you too much to stay gone."

Aang jumped off the side of the building landing softly on the ground with the help of a tunnel of air and ran off into the city.

Sokka was waiting when Aang finally got back that night. The air bender just looked at the older man with tired eyes that were red and puffed. He didn't say anything, just sulked to the back of the apartment and into Katara and Toph's room.

He fell onto Katara's bed and pulled her pillow under him. He hugged the pillow to him and pressing his face into it, inhaling the smell of water lilies and spring rain. He stayed there, falling into a miserable sleep after nearly an hour.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

When Kanna saw her grandson's balloon land and no one was on it but her granddaughter, she knew what was going on.

"Katara!" Hakoda said as he went to greet his daughter "What are you doing here?"

She gave him a weak smile as she wrapped her arms tightly around her father "I missed you guys. Can't I come visit?"

He laughed "Any time my girl." he looked over at the balloon. "Where are the others?"

"Well, Toph had classes to teach and the boys are still in Ba Sing Se. They have a lot of work to do." she answered, not really lying, but not telling the whole truth. "GranGran." Katara said as she went over to her grandmother.

"Hello Katara." the old woman said, wrapping her arms around the girl "It's good to see you."

"It's better to see you GranGran." she said, choking back tears. She looked up and saw her old water bending master walking up behind her grandmother "Hello Pakku." she greeted, going over to hug him. She turned and headed back to the balloon, "Well, it's been a long flight. I think I'll go and take a little nap." she said, reaching for her bags.

"Go rest" her father said "I'll get the bags."

Kanna and Pakku exchanged knowing looks before she went to walk with her granddaughter to Hakoda's new house. The older man went to help.

Hakoda groaned as he lifted the duffle bag "What the devil does that girl have in here? She must've packed everything she owned."

"Or, knowing Katara, that's the Avatar's dead body." Pakku joked dryly.

"Why would you say that?" The chief asked, stunned.

The water bending master placed a hand on his stepson's shoulder "Well son, your little girl looks like Kanna did the day before she left the North Pole." he took the other bag into his hand and walked towards the house.

Hakoda stood there for a second and watched as Pakku walked away _Is Pakku right? Did Katara really leave Aang? _he thought as he looked down at the heavy bag hanging from his shoulder. He patted it then exhaled in relief _Good, nothing but clothes._

~.~.~.~..~.~.~.~.~.~.

"Avatar Aang. Avatar Aang!" the messenger called out as he ran to catch up to the young man "Do you happen to know where I can find Prince Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe?"

Aang chuckled a bit at that knowing how much Katara and Sokka hated being addressed like that "I'm headed home now, he should be there?

"I have something for him from the princess. It was delivered to the palace and it's marked urgent."

"A message form Katara?" he said stopping in his tracks. Katara had written to Sokka regularly in the five months since she'd been gone, but she always sent the letter to the apartment, and it was never marked urgent. "I can take it to him."

"Thank you Avatar Aang." the man said handing the scroll to the younger man and bowing before he walked away.

Aang walked a few steps before curiosity overcame him. He pulled the ribbon from the scroll and unrolled it. His fingers trembled and his heart raced as he read the words written in tear-blotched ink. He quickly rolled the scroll up again, took out his glider and flew off to the apartment.

~.~.~.~..~.~.~.~.~.~.

Aang was exceedingly happy that Toph had come back the day before. He knew this news would hit Sokka hard. He solemnly gave the paper to his friend.

_Sokka_

_I know you don't like people using your title, but I needed you to get this message as soon as possible._

_There's no other way to say this, GranGran died in her sleep sometime last night. Please tell Aang and Toph._

Sokka didn't finish reading, he dropped the paper on the floor. Aang picked it up and read it to Toph, who immediately wrapped her arms around Sokka.

"You should get this in a day or two," he read "so I'll see you soon."

Sokka just stood there. He didn't say anything, he didn't cry. He just stood there. "Sokka?" Toph said holding her head up to her "Say something Sokka."

A single tear finally fell from his eye and he turned to Aang "Can we take Appa? Katara never brought my balloon back." he said in a calm, but distant voice.

"Yeah, of course." Aang answered.

Sokka finally noticed Toph holding on to him. He didn't know when she'd come to him, but she was there, holding on to him. He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed gently once "We'd better go pack. Make sure you guys take a parka and the thickest things you have." he looked down at Toph "Do you have a parka?"

"No" she answered.

"We'll have to get you one when we get there. You can wear one of my old ones until then. And you'll have to wear socks and boots. I know you won't be able to see so you can hold on to me."

"Okay."

Sokka took her arms form around him "Well, let's get to it. The sooner we get packed the sooner we can be in the air." and he waked away.

Aang stepped up beside Toph "Is he okay? It's like he's going to a meeting or something."

"He's in shock." she answered "I think his mind is working on pure instinct."

"I'm going to miss GranGran." the Avatar said, glad Toph couldn't see him crying.

"Yeah, she was a cool old broad." Toph said with a sad smile on her face.

"Come on, I'll help you get some warm stuff packed."

~.~.~.~..~.~.~.~.~.~.

Appa got to the South Pole in record time. The entire time Aang was worried. He worried about Hakoda who had just lost his mother, Pakku whose wife was gone, and Sokka who was still not reacting beyond his base instincts.

Most of all he was worried about Katara. She'd been gone for months and she hadn't answered one of the letters he'd sent to her. She had only written to Sokka. Aang thought that maybe Katara didn't want to see him, but, then again, her letter had said to tell him about GranGran…but she had also said to tell Toph.

He wondered if she would even look at him. Maybe, just maybe she would hug him and tell him how much she missed him and how she was coming back home with them.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

When they landed, Katara was outside, her loose hair blowing in the afternoon wind. Sokka was the first to jump down and run to her. They wrapped their arms around each other and held on tight.

Aang grabbed Toph and floated the two of them down off of Appa's back. She held on to him as he led her to Katara. Sokka stepped away and the two young women hugged. "Good to see you Toph." Katara said solemnly.

"Wish I could say the same."

The water bender chuckled a bit "Yeah, sorry about that, but you know, it is the South Pole." she glanced over at her brother "How is Sokka really doing?" she asked so low that only Toph could hear her.

"Not good. I think he's holding it all in."

"I figured as much." she looked at Aang "And him."

"He's sad. He misses GranGran," Toph said "but he's been missing you way longer."

"I know." Katara said, still quiet. "I've missed him too."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

Toph awoke the next morning to a sound she loved, boulders being bended. She hopped up, her feet hitting the stone tile. The little earth bender ran over to the closet, throwing on the parka Sokka had lent her and a pair of pants she'd gotten from Katara. She grabbed her boots and socks and ran to the door. The earth bender sat on the floor next to the front door and huffed. She knew that as soon as she put the wool socks and heavy boots on she would be completely blind.

Toph pulled on the socks and boots, reached up, grabbed the door knob and pulled herself up. She opened the door, stepped outside and closed the door with her back pressed up against it. The snow was lower than she remembered, and flat. She shimmied along the surface of the house. "Twinkletoes! Twinklet-oh" she fell on the uneven stone.

Toph pressed her hands to it, then her lips "Oh baby! I don't know where you came from, but I love you."

She felt Sokka step up onto the stone "I knew you would like it, but I didn't think you would make out with it."

"Sokka?" she said "You did this?"

"Yeah." he answered "I figured you would be tired of only being able to see in Dad's house," he scooped her up to her feet "so I came up with this. I shoveled the snow down to the ice and I got Aang to go get the stone from the Cliffside and lay it."

"This is nice Sokka," she said wanting to jump on him and give him a kiss for his thoughtfulness "but -"

"I thought about the boots and socks too." he wrapped her arm around his and walked her back into the house "I made these on the way here." he handed her a pair of socks with mesh bottoms "and these. Aang had to help me with the soles."

She held her hands out, palm up and he placed some new boots in them. The soles were made of a thin layer of stone, followed by packed soil. Toph touched the inside to find another layer of mesh material holding everything together. She couldn't help herself, she dropped the boots and threw her arms around his neck. "Thank you Sokka! This is the best thing ever!" then she thought about it "When did you get the time to do all this?"

He shrugged "Couldn't sleep with such a big project on my mind." Sokka lied with confidence knowing that Toph was still wearing the old boots. The truth was that he didn't want to think about his GranGran being dead so he busied his mind.

By the time Toph put her new socks and boots on and went back outside, Aang had finished laying the stone around the house. Sokka and Aang stood in the snow and watched with satisfied faced as Toph did a lap around the house with a huge grin on her face. Toph stopped suddenly and stepped off into the snow. Aang stepped forward to go help her, but Sokka grabbed his shoulder. When the Avatar looked back the warrior was shaking his head with a finger pressed to his lips.

Toph stood there at first, just feeling the snow under her boots and shuffling her feet until she found what she was looking for. The earth bender turned to where her friends were standing and went straight to them. "Sokka, these boots are really the best things ever."

Sokka just smiled and said "Thanks." as Aang looked dumbfounded.

"How'd you find us through all this snow?" he asked.

"It wasn't easy." she answered "I had to concentrate really hard and when I did get an image it was really blurry, but I found you to big blobs." she laughed, and then she felt a blob step onto the snow. It was too small to be Hakoda "Hey Sweetness, do you like what the guys did for me?'

'That's very nice Toph." she said with a weak smile.

"Where are you going?" Sokka asked.

"It's time to get GranGran ready." she said sadly "I'm going to braid her hair."

"Oh." Sokka said as she turned and walked away.

Aang watched Katara walk away then he looked to Sokka and Toph "Um, I think I'll go walk with her."

He ran to catch up with her. When he did he said "Is it alright if I walk with you?"

"That's fine." she answered quietly.

They walked a while in silence. Hakoda's house was in the old village, but they had started building a mile inland when Pakku and the others first came to the South Pole. In the last six years it had grown with each migration.

As they entered the town, Katara said "We didn't get to so this for Mom. GranGran couldn't. She was too…" when Katara paused in her words Aang looked at her. She was looking down, eyes full of tears "he burned her really bad on one side." the tears began falling "Dad was so much in shock that he didn't even realize I was right next to him. He just held on to her and cried…and screamed. GranGran came when she heard him. She pulled me away and kept Sokka from going in." Katara was so lost in her story that she didn't realize Aang had put his arm around her and pulled her close "Bato and some of the other men came and got Dad. I took five of them to get him out of the house."

"I had nightmares for the longest time. GranGran took care of me. She helped the nightmares go away. She'd come and stay with me and when I'd wake up crying she would sing to me, pray over me, rock me to sleep. After Dad left she took care of us, all of us. Me, Sokka and the tribe."

By the time she stopped taking they were standing at the door of the morgue at the end of town. It was then that Katara realized that Aang was holding on to her. She looked at his mitted hand on her arm then up at him.

"Oh, I'm sorry. You were just so-" he said as he pulled his arm away lifting it to rub his head.

"It's okay." Katara said with a small smile, then she went inside.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

A few hours later when Katara came out, Aang was still there. He had sat down near the door in the lotus position with his hands cupped tightly together, rocking rhythmically and singing a soft tune.

She just stood there and listened for a while. In all the years that she'd known him she hand never heard him sing. Katara didn't understand what he was saying because it was in another language, but it was beautiful. Almost hypnotic. She'd taken for granted that his voice had matured to a smooth tenor until that moment.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

She had only admitted to Kanna (and now Toph) that she'd missed him. Her grandmother had told her:

"_Stop being so stubborn and go tell him that. Or at least write the poor boy back. He could bathe in the amount of ink he's used to write you all these letters."_

"_GranGran," Katara said exasperated "it hasn't been that many."_

"_If you call one letter a day for two months, then one a week for two more not 'that many' then I guess you're right."_

"_I told Sokka to tell Aang I'm fine and to stop writing, but he is so hard-headed."_

"_Look who's talking."_

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

Snow had fallen since she'd gone inside and Aang had a neat little pile of it settled on the top of his bald head. Katara pulled a mitt off her hand and gently brushed the snow from his head. He came out of his trance. "Oh, are you done already?"

"I've been here for hours. Have you been here the whole time?"

He looked at the pile of snow on the back of his hand "Really? Hours?" he looked up at her "It didn't seem like it was that long." he stood up and bended the snow off of himself.

She reached up and pulled the hood over his head "Dad would have a fit if he saw you out in the snow without a hat on."

He smiled and held his head sown farther so she could pull it all the way down "I keep telling Hakoda I don't get cold easily."

"That doesn't matter to him." she chuckled, he laughed a little "What were you singing?"

"Singing?" he said with a confused look "Oh, I was chanting a mantra. I guess I kind of got lost in it." he brushed his hand under his hood as they started walking "I haven't done that in forever. I guess you got me thinking about my mother."

"Your mother?" she asked surprised.

"I did have a mother you know. What? Did you think air benders came from the eagle stork?"

"No," she chuckled "of course you had a mother, but I just thought-"

"That because I was raised at the temple by monks I didn't know her."

"Yeah."

"I knew her. I was two when Gyatso, Pasang and Sister Ilo found me. I don't remember what she looked like, but I do remember her voice. I remember what she told me before I left."

"What was that?"

He looked at her and smiled "Always remember that I love you very much." he paused "When I was little I use to remember her saying it all the time. No one would listen to me but Gyatso. I use to say that mantra over and over until I felt better. That's the first time I've done it in a while."

She looked at him, a soft smile spreading on her lips "And what's in your hands?"

Aang hadn't realized that he was holding on to something. He opened his hand "it's a rock, with the mantra carved into it. I must've done it while I was chanting." he looked at her "Would you like to have it? It's a comfort mantra. I know it's in a different language but-"

She took the rock into her hands "Thank you Aang, its perfect." she looked at it. The rock had been worn perfectly smooth with symbols covering the surface. She didn't understand any of them but they were beautiful "You'll have to tell me what it means later."

"Okay. I'm glad you like it." he said.

He smiled at her. She blushed slightly then turned her head. The two walked back to Hakoda's house in an awkward silence. Both had so much to say, but neither knew where, or if, to start.

As they entered the edge of the village they saw Bato and Hakoda outside gathering tools. Katara looked at Aang "Can I ask you something?"

"Yes."

"Do you remember anything about your father?"

"I'm not sure." he answered with a shrug "I remember a tall man with a big smile, but I'm not sure if that was my father. I like to think he was though."

"I'm sure he was."

"Yeah. Oh, and he had a cool beard too. It kind of came together, almost to a point, and it tilted up a little." he gestured to give her an idea of how it looked. She covered her giggle with her mitt "Yeah, it was pretty awesome. I think I'm going to grow one and see if mine does that."

Katara stopped in her tracks "No." she said with a bit of force. How dare he think about covering _that _face with some crazy beard? Aang stopped and looked back at her "Um, what I mean is" she blushed "you look nice without facial hair. I think you should wait a while before you start letting it grow, like until you're older. You don't want to look like Sokka, do you?"

"I like Sokka's beard." he said as they started walking again.

"It looks like it belongs on a goat." she answered.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

Hakoda and Bato had been preparing to go to the cemetery to dig Kanna's grave. This was a task that would of surely taken all day if Aang and Toph didn't volunteered to go move the rocky, frozen soil for them. Hakoda and Katara stood and watched them leave.

"Sokka went out to hunt?" she asked her father.

"Yes. He and some of his old students went." he looked down at her "I suppose you'll be going back to Ba Sing Se when they leave."

She looked up at him "No, why'd you ask that?'

He looked back at the tall young man who was leading the little earth bender out into the snow "You two just seemed a bit…cozy as you were coming back."

"We were just talking Dad."

"Um hum." Hakoda said looking back at the silhouettes disappearing over the horizon "So are you going to give him those letters you write at night when you think I'm sleeping?"

She gave him a hard look "GranGran told you?" she said accusingly.

"No. Momma didn't tell me anything about what went on with you two. I'm still not entirely sure what happened. What I do know is twice a month you write letters that you never send."

"I don't write him letters…It's just one. I keep adding to it, correcting it. Changing it." she exhaled and looked down at her feet shuffling in the snow "GranGran told me to send it, to stop being so stubborn, but I wouldn't listen.." she began to cry "I wouldn't listen and now she's gone and all I want to do is talk to her about how I feel about him being here, but I can't, Dad."

The chief pulled his daughter to him, resting his chin on the top of her head as she sobbed into his shoulder. 'I know. I miss having her to talk to too." he said, his own tears falling "I didn't have anyone to yell at me this morning for mot getting up at the crack of dawn." they both laughed a little "We all miss Momma, but we just have to remember all the things she taught us and how much she loved us.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

The eleven year old huddled down behind the snow bank next to the 21 year old warrior. Before he'd left, Sokka had been his teacher, when he came back he was Maska's hero. For years he'd bragged about how when the Fire Nation Prince invaded that day, he was the one to throw Sokka his spear and call out 'Show no fear!', a motto the warrior had taught them himself. It had become a greeting and a bit of a running gag between the two of them.

Even now he marveled at how composed the man was. For La's sake. Sokka's grandmother was dead and he'd gathered him and some of the other boys to go hunting with him. _If it was my GranGran, _Maska mused to himself _I would be off somewhere crying. Not Sokka though. He's out here hunting with a bunch of kids. I'm going to be just like him when I grow up._

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

Sokka watched a tiger seal move behind a snow drift about 75 paces away. All of a sudden the voice that he'd been trying to block all this time came over him.

"_Little Boy, what are you doing?" his GranGran said from behind him._

_The boy jumped up "GranGran. I'm not a little boy, I'm a warrior." he answered indignantly "And I'm a man now."_

_Kanna chuckled "So you're a man now. I didn't know your fifteenth birthday held such importance. Well my Mighty Warrior, what are you doing?"_

_Sokka turned around, then back and huffed "I was trying to hunt, but you scared all the game away." he kicked the snow "No self-respecting polar bear dog would be killed by someone called 'Little Boy' anyway."_

_Kanna laughed outright and roughly pulled her grandson into a hug "I don't care how old you get, you will always be my Little Boy. I was the one who pinned your first diaper and you peed in my face before I could finish. I think you owe me."_

_The boy laughed "Yes GranGran, just not in front of people."_

Sokka smiled at his memory, then something in his head said _Little Boy! Look out!_ He looked up and saw Maska seconds away from killing a tiger seal with another charging at the boy from his blindside.

Without thinking Sokka jumped over the drift. When he landed one foot slipped on a patch of ice, but that didn't slow him. He ran straight to the boy. Before Maska could see him coming Sokka grabbed him and folded him down into a ball, the older warrior wrapped protectively around the younger. As the animal raised up, ready to squash the two, Sokka snatched the spear from Maska's kill and stuck it into the throat of their attacker. The animal let out one last cry before it stopped moving and fell over to its side with a bit of a shove from Sokka.

The young man got up and helped the boy to his feet "You saved my life." Maska gasped wide eyed. "I didn't even see the other one, he came out of nowhere."

"_She_ came out of nowhere." Sokka corrected, wiping blood from his left eye "That's a young male, barely an adult." he said pointing at the boy's kill. Then he pointed at his "This must be his mother."

Before Maska could say anything, the boys had surrounded them, bombarding him and Sokka with questions and pats on the back. One boy brought the sled over. They loaded their kills and headed for home. The boys belting out a victory chant peppered with yips and war cries.

Sokka watched the boys for a minute, remembering the voice that had called out to him just in time. A single tear rolled down his blood-stained face "Thank you GranGran."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

The chants and war cries could be heard long before Sokka and the boys could be seen. The people who still lived in the village as well as those, like Pakku, who'd settled on the edge of the town started coming out of their homes and walked out to the edge of the village. Then they came into view, first as shadows, then becoming clearer and clearer.

The boys chanted an old chant about a brave warrior who faced a monster and brought it down, saving the village. "The hunt must've gone well "Katara said, then she noticed the two bulks being pulled on the sled "Very well." She looked back at Aang, knowing he didn't have much of a stomach for dead animals "Are you okay?" she asked, noticing that he was starting to turn green around the gills.

"I'm okay." He said "I can handle it."

As they came closer into view Hakoda noticed his son limping, using a spare to steady himself, and half covered in blood "Sokka!" he cried out and he took off running.

Katara was the second to noticed and she ran also, followed by Maska's parents, then the rest who'd come to the edge of the village. "What's going on?" Toph asked as Aang grabbed her hand and began to run.

"Sokka and one of the kids are covered with blood and Sokka's walking with a limp."

If they had been on firmer ground Toph would have left Aang in her wake, but she had to let him lead her to where Sokka was. She hoped and prayed that he was okay.

"I'm fine." she heard Sokka laugh out as she and Aang got to him "I just had to kill the big one the hard way, that's all."

"He saved me." Maska said as his parents questioned him about what happened. The boy went on to tell the amazing story of how the young man risked life and limb to save him from the charging mother tiger seal. The other boys chimed in with details of how, even though he'd twisted his leg he'd made it to Maska in record time.

"And he grabbed him and they curled up and Sokka stuck it right in the throat!" one of the boys said excitedly.

"Yeah," another boy added "right in the jugular. You guys should've seen it. The blood just gushed down on them."

Aang's stomach lurched "Okay, and that's enough for me." he said quietly before he turned back toward the village.

"My boy!" Maska's father said proudly "Your fist kill, and saved by a war hero all in the same afternoon."

Sokka looked at Maska with his brows slightly knitted together "I didn't know this was your first kill."

The boy blushed "Yeah."

Sokka looked at his father. Hakoda nodded, knowing exactly what his son wanted. He raised his hand and the surrounding crowd got quiet. One of the water benders lifted him up a few feet on a platform of ice so he could be seen and heard "Brothers and Sisters, young Maska has made his first kill and thus he should be recognized. One of the oldest traditions of our tribe stated that we celebrate such and occasion, and we shell do so tomorrow night."

Instead of the usual boisterous response celebrations usually got, silence answered him. Maska's father stepped forward. "Chief Hakoda, we are honored, but it can wait. Your mother-"

"My mother would have our hides if we did not celebrate this young man's accomplishment. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want her angry spirit visiting _me_." a chorus of mumbled agreement rumbled through the crowd "So it's settled. Start the preparations."

Hakoda stepped down and his children came to him "That was a good thing you did Dad." Katara said. "GranGran would be proud."

He gave her a sad smile and wrapped one arm around her while Sokka took Toph's hand. They turned back to the village, followed by the villagers. The next night they would celebrate a young man's rite of passage, but that morning they would be saying goodbye to Kanna.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~..~.

**As you can tell I couldn't come up with a name... This was not suppose to be this long, but my mind got away from me so it'll be 2 (hopefully) parts. Here's the first half. Don't hate me too much. These ideas have been floating around for a while, I just didn't think they would end up in the same story. Okay, I'm rambling...**

**anyway, the mantra I had in mind that Aang was chanting/singing is the Green Tara Mantra. I figured a comfort mantra existed and when I looked into it, there it was. The link is in the description on my DA submit of this story. If you look at the video at the bottom of the page, I figure if you chant it halfway fast and slow it would sound like a beautiful song.**

**And Katara going to braid GranGran's hair comes from something I read about Inuit burial customs, but I can't remember where I read it, I have to double check, then I'll let you know.**

**Bryke made Atla**


	4. Untitled Kataang Breakup Piece pt 2

**Untitled Kataang Breakup Piece Part 2**

Zuko arrived as the sun rose the next morning. He'd left the Fire Nation as soon as he'd gotten the news. Kanna had been special to him. As he landed he thought about the second time they'd met.

_Shortly after his coronation, Zuko felt compelled to apologize for the things he had done to hurt people on his quest to capture the Avatar. His first stop was the South Pole._

_He had been cruel to them and he vividly remembered snatching Kanna from Katara's arms. He stepped up to the woman and got down on his knees "Lady Kanna. I apologize for the way I came into your tribe last year. I am especially sorry for the way I handled you. It was dishonorable. If there is anything I can do for you or your tribe I and my resources are at your disposal."_

_The little old woman smiled and grunted a bit as she stooped down to the teenager. She used her fingertips to lift the boys head "Stand young Fire Lord. Your apology is accepted." Zuko looked at her and smiled, but Kanna could see a sadness in his eyes "Come young man, we'll go to my igloo and talk."_

_The two stood together and Kanna led him through the crown of onlookers to her home. They sat and she studied the boy "You've been through a lot, haven't you my boy?"_

"_We all have." he answered humbly._

"_No. The boy that was here a year ago was angry and broken. That comes from being hurt by someone you love."_

_His eyes stretched. He hadn't even told his friends how he'd got his scar. He'd never told anyone himself. People either knew or they didn't. As if under a spell his fingertips went to the edge of his scar and he started talking "I spoke out of turn. My uncle told me not to say anything, but what they were going to do was so horrible. My father," he closed his eyes and rubbed his hand across his scar "this was my punishment."_

_Then the woman did something that completely surprised him. She grabbed him and hugged him tight._

He'd come alone. Suki offered to come with him, but he did not think that would be a very good idea. She stayed to help Lady Ursa keep an eye on things in the Fire Nation.

When the balloon landed, he got off and went to join the crowd gathered outside of Kanna's old igloo. The assemblage parted quietly to let the Fire Lord walk through to his friends who immediately greeted him with hugs.

"Okay guys, it's time to go." Hakoda said quietly as he placed his hands on his children's shoulders.

"Okay Dad." Sokka answered meekly as he reached out and wrapped his hand around his sister's.

Hakoda and Pakku walked side by side towards town followed by Katara and Sokka. Aang and Zuko situated themselves on either side of Toph and the three of them and Bato walked behind their friends followed by the rest of the tribe.

The singing was low and mournful, old songs and chants in a language that the fire bender had never heard. He looked at the water tribe siblings as they held on to each other's hands. He knew that they had done this before when they were younger.

The mourners made their way to the cemetery at the other side of town where an elder and six younger men stood around Kanna's grave. The men had carried her from the morgue and carefully placed her into the shallow grave that had been dug the day before to Bato's specifications. Her body had been wrapped in the hide of the tiger seal Sokka had killed the prior afternoon. The skin was tied around her body with straps of leather, the only part of her showing was her face.

The elder started speaking and the young men moved so that Kanna's family could stand on either side of her. Hakoda and Pakku on her left, Katara and Sokka on her right. Zuko watched his friends. Despite the steady flow of tears rolling down Katara's face she looked strong and dignified. Sokka was unreadable, just a slightly sad look on his face as he focused on not looking at his grandmother.

Katara kneeled down. She reached out and touched Kanna's face gently with her fingertips before she leaned over and dipped three fingers into a small pot of red paint one of the men held down for her. The water bender slowly, reverently covered her grandmother's face in a fine coat of the paint before she used a single finger to draw a line down her own cheek.

She took the small jar of paint from the man and walked one by one to the men of her family and painted streaks on their faces. Then she stood and faced the crowd.

"My Gran Gran didn't have much family. She was an only child and she only had one child," she looked at her friends "but that did not stop her from taking in those who needed her." Katara stepped forward and painted a streak on Bato's face, then she side-stepped to Zuko, followed by Toph, then Aang.

Katara turned and walked back to Sokka's side and handed the paint back to the young man. Four of the tribesman picked up qilauts and started tapping out a slow, steady beat while the elder chanted softly.

Sokka, Hakoda and Pakku kneeled next to Kanna's body. Hakoda reached out and touched the spot where Kanna's hands were folded over her chest. Sokka winced and balled his fist into his pants as Pakku reached up and closed the pelt over her face.

It was now time to start placing the stones. "The men of the family place the first stones." Toph said quietly to Aang and Zuko. She'd been explaining the ceremony to then as Katara had explained it to her the day before "They'll each place two stones, then those guys with the elders will finish the mound."

They watched as Hakoda and Pakku placed their stones, but Sokka just sat there, gripping tighter to his pants, his eyes closed tightly and his face drawn. His posture sunk and his feet slid out almost flat under him, then it happened. The toe of his boot touched the grave behind him, his mother's grave, and the floodgates opened.

For the first time since he'd gotten the news the warrior cried. He planted his face into his hands and sobbed outright. Katara knelt down and put one arm across her brother's back and the other on his shoulder. She closed her eyes and held on tight "I know Sokka," she whispered to him in a sad but comforting voice "but you have to place your two before they can finish. We have to let her go."

Then they heard a rock being placed, then another. Katara looked up and saw Zuko and Aang beside her brother. They had placed two in front of Sokka and were in the process of laying their own.

Hakoda and Pakku looked at the two young men with surprise, then smiled lightly. As they stood, the older man said "Those are some good brothers Sokka's got there."

"They are that." Hakoda said as he watched the Avatar and the Fire Lord help his children to their feet.

As the men finished building the mound, those who had come to witness Kanna's burial dispersed. Only Hakoda, his children and their friends stayed until the last stone was placed and the elder and his men left.

They'd stood in silence until the men finished. When they stood to leave, Aang stepped over and whispered something to Hakoda. The chief smiled softly at the air bender and said "Yes. It would be an honor."

Aang pulled his mitts off and handed them to Katara "Could you hold these please?"

She took them and held them to her chest. His lips curled a bit, then a slightly serious look crossed his face as her turned and walked toward the graves.

He stood there, between Kya and Kanna, his back to his friends, then got on one knee. Aang stretched his arms out to his sides and placed one hand on each mound. The young man bowed his head, closed his eyes and began to chant the mantra.

The water bender hugged the gloves tighter to her as she listened to him. First he started out speaking the words, then he sped up, speaking faster and faster until the words were unrecognizable.

After a couple of minutes, she noticed he'd slowed down and began to rock the top half of his body. He was in a meditative trance much like the one he'd been in when she exited the morgue. The chanting had slowed into the melodic tune Katara hand heard before, the mounds began changing.

The rock smoothed over becoming polished like marble. Symbols began to sketch around the bottoms. They stood in awe for various reasons; the sound of Aang's voice, the fact that he'd done this for Kanna and Kya, the ease with which he had done it. Although they were used to Aang doing amazing things, they were all impressed with this.

Hakoda, Zuko, Toph and Sokka started back toward the village. Katara said that she'd stay and wait for Aang to come out of his meditation so that he wouldn't have to walk back alone, but her father knew better.

The Fire Lord and the Southern Water Tribe Chief walked ahead, Hakoda regaling Zuko with the tale of Sokka and the tiger seal. Toph and Sokka walked a few feet behind them, the little earth bender holding on to the sullen warriors arm. She wanted to tell him it would be okay, that she was there to take care of him, that she would make him feel better, but she just couldn't. "Lilly liver." she mumbled in self-disgust.

"Huh?" Sokka said slightly dazed.

"Oh. Nothing." she answered, holding her head down to cover the blush across her cheek. Then she realized he was finally saying something for the first time since they left the village. "Are you…okay?"

"Yeah." he said quietly "I kind of lost it back there, didn't I?"

"Just a little."

"I cried like a little girl."

"Naw," she answered "you cried like a man who missed his grandmother."

He looked down at her "Like a man?"

She smiled a little "Like the manliest man who ever cried."

He looked back ahead of him "Damn real."

When Aang stood and turned around, Katara was the only one standing there. He smiled and looked over her shoulder to see the shadowed forms of the others starting to shrink in the background. He looked back at her "You didn't have to wait for me."

"You needed your gloves. Besides, after you did such a nice thing for Mom and GranGran…well, somebody needed to stay and walk back with you."

He stepped forward and took the gloves she handed to him "Thank you." he said, placing the gloves on his hands.

They started walking a bit, opting to go around the town rather than through it. Katara was tired of being asked _How are you holding up?_ It would take them twice the time to get back to the village, but it was worth it.

"You know," she ventured quietly "you really do have a nice singing voice."

"You think so?" Aang asked "I never really thought about it like that."

"Yes. It's very nice." they walked on a bit, then she said "I've missed …" she paused. She wanted to say _you, I've missed you_, but her stubborn pride wouldn't let her. "talking to you. We haven't had a polite conversation in a really long time. These past few days have been nice."

"Yeah, it has been nice." he said, then he thought _I love you. I miss you. I want you to come back home._

"I guess tragedy has a way of making people be civil."

"Yeah." he stuffed his hands into his pockets.

She looked at him. Katara had to say something that had been resting on her mind ever since he got off of Appa "You haven't been eating enough. You look thin."

"Haven't really been hungry lately." he shrugged.

She felt a pang of guilt "I'm sorry." she said as she turned her head back.

He looked at her "It's not your fault. It was a good thing you left."

She stopped in her tracks and her mind started racing. _It's a good thing I left? What's that supposed to mean? Has he found someone else? I bet one of those fake acolyte whores got to him._

Aang noticed Katara wasn't beside him anymore and stopped. He turned to see her standing a few feet back, wide eyed with her brows knitted together upward. "Oh. No. Katara. I didn't mean it like that." He went back and stood in front of her. He held his head down "I didn't want you to go. I would of done _anything_ to get you to stay and I've missed you so much." he looked at her "But when the letter came all I could think was that it was a good thing you got to spend these last few months with your GranGran." she smiled a little and his heart melted "I miss you so much and I know you're probably done with me, but I want nothing more than for you to come back to Ba Sing Se with us."

She looked up at him, eyes shimmering and wet "I've missed you too Aang." she finally admitted. He reached out and pulled her to him "but-"

He held her back and looked at her, confused "But?"

The young woman ducked her head "I can't leave Dad and Pakku right now." she smoothed her hand across the bronze fabric of his parka "And we haven't solved anything yet. We said some really nasty things to each other."

The Avatar dropped his hands to his side and stepped back "I've been trying," he said frustrated "but you won't even write me back. Have you even read the letters I sent you or have you been throwing them away?"

"I've read every one twice, some of them three times." she said "And I've been trying to write you back, but I just couldn't get my words together. I didn't know what to say to you."

"You could have just written what was in your heart."

"That's just it. My heart was so confused. It still is kind of. Sometimes I'm angry at you, but then I miss you so much and I wonder what's really going on with you, or if you even really wanted me to come back, and I know what your letters say, but I just up and left, and if you went to someone else I would be so hurt, but did I really have the right to be mad? I mean, I did leave and not answer your letters. And I-"

He reached out and pulled her into his arms "I told you before, all I've ever wanted, all I'll ever want is you. That will never change.'

"But-"

"No. There are no buts about it. I know we have things we need to work on and we will. As long as you want to be with me like I want to be with you everything will be alright. I love you Katara. The last five months have been like five years without you. I want you back."

"I can't answer you now." she said sadly.

"Katara-"

She pulled away from him "Aang, I just…I can't."

She tried to run past him, but he grabbed her arm and pulled her back to him "No. You are _not_ running away from me again. I don't care if you're confused, I'm not letting you go so easily this time."

Katara looked at him. Part of her wanted to punch him in the face for grabbing her like he did, but the rest of her was thrilled by his forcefulness. He had a particularly ardent look in his eyes that sent a warm sensation all over her body. In that moment all she could do was react according to how she was feeling.

Aang looked at Katara fiercely. He knew that she would probably freeze him in place, or at least water whip him for the way he'd grabbed her, but he didn't care. She'd been ignoring him for months and he wasn't about to let her go without a fight. When she reached up and grabbed his collar he braced himself for what was sure to come.

The water bender grabbed two handfuls of his coat and snatched him down so that they were nose to nose and stared into his eyes for a moment. He didn't flinch in his fierce expression and she returned it. She tilted her head a bit and kissed him.

The air bender's eyes stretched at first. She was actually kissing him. He lowered his lids and put his hands on her waist.

When they pulled apart, Katara looked up at Aang. He had a dreamy look on his face and a small goofy smile on his lips. She couldn't help but smile back at him "I love you Aang," she said in a breathy tone. "but I don't know if I'm ready to come back yet. I just need some time."

"I can't wait." he said in a husky voice that sent a chill down her spine.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

**Ok first of all I want to say I know I said there was going to be two parts, but to be quite honest It's been a very busy week at work and I didn't feel like typing the whole thing. Here's part 2. Part three will be up soon. **

**Ok, as for the funeral, I took bits and pieces I've read about different Native American funeral rituals and added to them a bit...okay, maybe a lot. I didn't find much. I need to do more research cause now I'm curious. I hope I made it sound like something the Water Tribe would do.**

**Any way, if I made you cry, I'm sorry...Okay, I lied, no I'm not. If I did this right, then that's the reaction I want.**

**I am but a wandering minstrel in Bryke's world. **


	5. Untitled Kataang Breakup Piece pt 3

**Untitled Kataang Breakup Piece Part 3**

Maska's first kill celebration was wonderful. There was music, laughter and, of course, more than enough food to go around. The guest of honor and the other boys sat around the fire and asked Sokka, Zuko and Toph to tell them stories about the war. The three young adults were more than happy to oblige them. Soon Hakoda joined the group to tell them all about the adventure on the Boiling Rock. A couple of hours into the party, Katara decided to go check on Aang.

"You okay?" she asked as she walked up behind him while he sat on a bench near the shore.

"Yeah." he answered, looking back and smiling "Sounds like you guys are having fun."

"It's nice." she said as she sat beside him "Maska's having a ball. So's Sokka. He's starting to act like himself again."

"That's good." he said, glancing over at her then back at the lightly frozen sea.

"I thought you'd join us, at least for the party. Sorry there isn't any food there you can eat."

"It's okay, I understand."

She smiled a wicked smile at him "There are plenty of sea prunes. You can have as many of those as you'd like."

He scowled and stuck out his tongue "I think I'll pass." they sat for a little while, then he said "You aren't going back with us, are you?'

She looked out at the water "No. I'm not ready to come back yet." she reached down into her parka and pulled out some folded papers "I did finally finish this though." He took the papers and gave her a sad smile "Don't read it yet. I'd like for us to just hang out tonight."

"I think that would be nice." he answered.

.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

After the goodbyes were said, Aang helped Toph into Appa's saddle before taking his place. Sokka decided to stay in the South Pole for a while. Zuko got on his balloon and headed back home.

As Appa took off, the crowd waved and so did Aang, but he wasn't waving at them, he was waving at Katara. As they got farther away and she got smaller and smaller he leaned over to say to his bison "Take us home buddy. Sokka didn't come, so I'm going to go sit with Toph."

Appa groaned in agreement and Aang lifted himself from Appa's head to the saddle "Hey Twinkletoes. I guess it's just us for a while."

"Yeah." he answered as he sat down beside her. He reached into his coat and pulled out the letter.

Toph heard the ends of the papers rattling in the wind "You haven't read it yet, huh?"

He looked at her "She told you about the letter? Do you know what's in it?"

Toph shrugged "She didn't say. I just know that she was writing for the better part of yesterday afternoon and she said it was for you."

He opened the letter and read quietly.

_Aang,_

_I'm sorry I didn't answer your letters. I did read them, every one. And Sokka was keeping me updated on how you were doing. He didn't tell me you weren't eating though. It broke my heart when I saw how you looked._

_I'm sorry I left like I did. I just couldn't take the constant fighting anymore. And then, when you said what you said, something inside me shattered. I didn't know if you really meant or if you were just trying to get back at me. Either way, at that moment I was done. I was hurt and angry and all I wanted to do was get as far away from you as possible._

_When I got here I told GranGran everything, even though I really didn't have to because the moment she saw me she knew what was going on. She let me vent and rant for a full week, then she told me to go home and work it out or at least write you back, but I was too stubborn to listen._

_Every day a letter came, I would read it twice, sometimes three or four times and cry. There were the ones where you asked me to come back and the angry ones that told me to stay the hell where I was that I know were written out of anger. Sokka told me you slept in my bed every night until Toph came back. _

_I'm sorry I've caused you so much heartache and that I'm not ready to come back home, but we have some things we need to get settled. I know it's not exactly easy with me here and you in Ba Sing Se, but I need to stay here a bit longer._

_I started helping Pakku with his classes a couple of months ago and some of the students are very close to mastering. I don't want to leave then now. And with GranGran gone now me, Dad, Sokka and Pakku need each other._

_I've missed you so much. Even under the circumstances I was happy to see you. You walking with me and waiting for me all that time, well, it meant so much. It was like I had the old Aang back. It was wonderful to hear about your parents. I think it was the best thing you ever told me about your life. The way you lit up when you talked about them was beautiful._

_This afternoon, when you grabbed me I didn't know whether to punch you or kiss you. I guess you know what I decided. I didn't realize how much I missed you holding me until that moment._

_I know I've been rambling a bit, I just had to get some of that out before you left. I hope I have the nerve to give this to you tonight. Please keep writing me, even if you're angry. I like hearing from you. I promise I'll write back. I asked Zuko to send me a messenger hawk and he said he would_

_I love you,_

_Katara_

Aang wiped the tear away from his cheek with a smile and folded the pages up again. "So what did it say?" Toph asked.

"We're going to work it out." He answered, looking at his friend.

The earth bender smiled "Well that's good. It's about time you two got your shit together."

.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

_Dear Katara,_

_I'm so glad you wrote me. I think I understand why you didn't before. I'll start taking better care of myself, I promise._

_I know you were angry, so was I, but I guess you figured that out from some of the letters. I'm happy you had Kanna to talk to._

_I'm sorry for grabbing you the way I did, but I kicked myself every day for not going after you when you left. I couldn't let you leave me again. I'm glad you decided not to punch me, that would've sucked. I enjoyed the alternative so much more._

_I love you and I can't wait to hear from you,_

_Aang. _

.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

_Katara,_

_I know you probably haven't gotten the last letter yet, I wrote it as soon as I got home and it's only been a week, but I had to tell you. You were totally right. That set of acolytes that came in right before you left had far too many who were not there for genuine reasons. I had to send five of them away._

_Honestly I've been neglecting my classes over the past few months and leaving them to the original members. I didn't realize how closely those five had been watching me. As soon as I got back and seemed to be in a normal mood the flood gates opened._

_It had been obvious that you were gone, but no one knew for sure why, but then when I left suddenly and Sokka didn't come back either I guess they figured you and I were done._

_Katara, I know you tried to tell me, but I didn't know women could be so conniving. I guess no one ever approached me because they knew that they would have to deal with you, but as soon as they had it in their heads that you weren't coming back they went wild. Toph even caught a couple of them trying to sneak into my bedroom window._

_I am so sorry I didn't listen to you and got upset. You told me the truth as you saw it and I didn't want to listen. I wanted to trust that anyone who joined the acolytes were there for honorable reasons._

_I'm working on solving the problem. I sent a letter to Xing Ying telling her the situation and that I would like to have all new acolytes go to the Yu Dao chapter until I can make arrangements to have all of the acolytes housed of the same place. I have an idea, but I need to get all my thoughts together on where and how I'm going to execute it._

_Aang_

.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

Katara had just sat down to answer the letter she'd gotten from Aang a few days before when another one arrived. She patted Hawkey II as she passed him and Sokka. "I'm going to need him to go to Ba Sing Se soon," she told her brother "don't fill him up with junk."

"Leave us be Woman!" he snapped as he popped off another piece of jerky and fed it to the bird "Go write your love note."

She waved a dismissive hand at her brother and went to her room. Katara sat down on her bed and unrolled the letter. As she read anger built up in her, "I KNEW IT!" she yelled as she read about the women trying to sneak into his window.

She read on and her heartbeat steadied as she read about how Aang had taken immediate steps to rectify the problem. She knew could be extremely overbearing and it had begun to rub the Avatar the wrong way. She also knew that it was her part in their breakup and she had to do what she needed to so to fix it.

_Dear Aang,_

_I'm glad you handled the situation the way you did and once you put your plan into action I'd like to know all about it._

_It's good to know that you'll be taking better care of yourself. It will be wonderful to see the old Aang again._

_My classes are going well. The way the students are progressing I should be done within a couple of months. I think I will come back to Ba Sing Se once they're alone._

_I can't wait to hear from you again._

_I love you, _

_Katara._

.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

After a month, Sokka returned to Ba Sing Se with orders from his sister to report back on how Aang was really doing. Katara was pleased to know that in the short amount to time since she'd seen him his face had returned to its normal amount of fullness. The newer acolytes had all been sent to Yu Dao and Aang had made it abundantly clear that _any_ acolyte who approached him for any reason other than a platonic one would be immediately sent away.

Sokka also told his sister that the site had been chosen for the capital of the new United Republic of Nations. It would be placed on the site of the final battle of the Hundred Years War. The place where Sokka, Suki and Toph took down a fleet of Airships and Aang defeated Ozai.

.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

The letters continued, some mentioning ways they were working on the things that had pulled them apart, others telling of how they missed each other and how much they longed to be together again.

One day, as Katara sat down to write Aang she heard her father call out for her. "Yes Dad?" she said as she stepped to where he stood looking out of the front door.

"You have company." he answered as he stepped back so she could come to the door.

She looked out and saw Aang and Appa walking towards the house. Katara didn't bother putting on her coat, she ran out to him.

Aang opened his arms with a wide smile on his face and waited for Katara to jump into his embrace. He hugged her tight and buried his face in his face in her hair "I guess you're glad to see me." he said with a small chuckle.

Katara looked up into his stormy gray eyes and put her hands on his cheeks "If only you knew." she said with tears in her eyes before she tiptoed up to kiss him.

He wrapped her tighter in his arms and pressed deeper into the kiss. He'd missed her so much over the past two and a half months. This was what the young air bender had been waiting for since he'd left the South pole, holding her in his arms, feeling her lips on his, smelling the scent of water lilies and spring rain in her hair. This was where he belonged, where they belonged, and he was never going to let it get away from him again.

As she kissed Aang, Katara pressed her fingers into his warm cheeks, then slid her hands down his neck to his chest. She gripped her fingers into his parka and just felt his strong arms around her. She never wanted him to let her go again.

When they finally pulled apart, they just looked into each other's eyes and smiled at each other for a while. The sound of a throat clearing broke them apart. "Hello Hakoda." Aang said with a slight blush on his face.

"Hello Aang," the chief said with a smile "it's good to see you." he looked at his daughter "Katara, I think you forgot something."

"Oh. Sorry Dad." she said like an obedient little girl before she ran back into the house to get her parka.

When Katara came back Aang and Hakoda were talking "-and I came to surprise Katara. I'm taking her to see it."

"See what?" Katara asked curiously.

"That sounds wonderful." Hakoda said "I'm sure she'll love it."

"Love what?"

Aang laughed "It's a surprise. Come on, Appa's excited to show you too." the bison groaned in agreement "Are you ready to go?"

"Right now?" she asked

"Yes." he said with a smile reaching a hand out to her "I'll bring you back, I just want you to come see this with me."

She smiled then looked back at her father "I'll be back, Dad."

"Have fun." Hakoda said as they took off.

.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

As they came up over the horizon Katara saw something that seemed out of place, an island where there was no land before "Aang, where did that come from?"

"I put it there. This is the project I've been telling you about. This is Air Temple Island."

"Air Temple Island?" she asked as the image of people milling about came into view. She looked back at him sitting beside her on Appa's head with a big grin on his face. "This is the idea you had." he nodded 'You made your own island."

"Yes." he said as he steered Appa around the island to show Katara around. "those are the dormitories, one for the men, one for the women." he said as he pointed to the buildings that were under construction "I think later we'll add one for families." they flew some more "This will be the meditation pavilion, and over there will be the temple, and there the fields."

Katara smiled at Aang's excitement "I bet it will all be beautiful."

"Oh," he said "but I haven't shown you the best spot."

Aang directed Appa to a landing area. It was completely clear and covered with grass. There were no measurement markers there like the other areas he'd shown her "So what's going to be here?"

"This," he said as he reached his hand out to her "This is what I wanted to show you." he landed them on the ground and started walking "This is the most important place." he looked at her "This is where I want to build a home for us." he blushed slightly at the way she looked at him "Not now, but once we get married and settle down," he blushed a little brighter "have some kids. We can call this place home."

Katara didn't say anything, she just looked at him then turned to the plot he was showing her. Aang started to worry that he had been too presumptuous.

The water bender looked around at the lot and something she had said to Aang years earlier on a rooftop in Yu Dao came back to her. She had seen their future; him, her and a baby bundled in her arms. As she looked around this place she saw the three of them again, but this time they were overseeing the building of their new home.

"I…is it okay?" Aang asked cautiously.

She turned and looked back at him "It's perfect." she said with a small smile on her face.

.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

Aang stayed in the South Pole for two weeks until the last of Katara's students mastered water bending, then they returned to Ba Sing Se just in time for the Avatar's nineteenth birthday. He couldn't have asked for a better present.

One night, two months after Katara's return, she and Aang sat on the roof of their apartment building. He had asked her to come up there with him so they could talk in private.

"So what happened at the meeting?" she asked, thinking he wanted to tell her something about the events of the day.

"Oh, nothing important." he said nervously as he sat down beside her "That's not why I asked you up here."

She looked at the uneasy look on his face "Is everything okay?"

"Um, yeah…I have something for you." he pulled a rolled piece of white silk from his pocket and handed it to her.

"My birthday's not for another month." she said looking at the small bundle in her hands, then she looked back at him. Aang had a soft smile on his face and motioned for her to open the roll.

Katara sat the silk in her lap and opened it up. She gasped when she saw the blue and gold strip of material with a golden charm hanging from it. She looked over at Aang who was now up on one knee.

"Katara," he started "from the moment I saw you I knew that I was destined to be with you forever. I love you more than I ever thought I could love anyone. I would be greatly honored if you woul-" before he could finish Katara cupped his cheeks in her hands and kissed him fervently. When they let each other go he said "I'm guessing that means yes."

She giggled "of course it means you big dumdum." she handed the delicate necklace to him "would you put it on me?"

"I'd be happy to." he said as he held the ends between his fingers, then he noticed her fingertips going to her mother's necklace "It's okay," he said sweetly "give it to me."

Katara reluctantly took the old necklace off and handed it to Aang. He smiled and flipped the new charm over to show her that it was hollow with a beveled edge. The young man took the old charm and snapped it securely into the new one. "I can stitch the necklaces together later. This way you can always wear both."

He looked back at Katara. The tears in her eyes shimmered in the moonlight. She wrapped her arms around his neck. Only Aang would think to so something so thoughtful and perfect. It she'd ever doubted their relationship in the past she knew now that this was the man who she'd love forever.


	6. Realizations

**This is a bit of a deviation from the little timeline trip I was on but these won't always be in chronological order.**

**Based on a beautiful picture **_**Mistakes**_** by LovelyRugby on DA but still in my head cannon.**

* * *

**Realizations**

Sokka stood in the mirror and grimaced as he adjusted his collar "Have I ever told you guys how much I _hate_ dressing up?" he asked.

"Every time we have to." Zuko said as he pushed his friend from in front of the mirror so he could adjust his headpiece.

"And five times in the past half hour." Aang added from the floor where he sat and entertained the baby. He pulled his necklace out of the one-year-old's mouth "No Kya. Daddy's mala is not a teething ring." he said gently.

"You do know that Katara's going to kick your ass if the girls get their dresses dirty."

"Sokka!" Zuko yelled, shooting a nasty look at the warrior.

"ASS!" a thoroughly entertained two-year-old giggled.

Zuko groaned and went over to pick his daughter up "That's not a nice word Ursa." he chastised softly before he looked angrily at Sokka "I just broke her out of saying the last word you taught her."

Sokka shrugged "I'm just saying, if they _or_ Aang get dusty from sitting on the floor, he's in some deep sh-" Zuko stopped him in his tracks with a pointed finger "trouble."

"Sokka, don't you know there is no such thing as dust at the Bei Fong estate?"

Just then Katara stuck her head in the door "Okay guys. It's time to get this thing started," She glanced around and saw her husband sitting on the floor with their baby. She twisted her mouth and went over to pick her daughter up "Really Aang?"

"I tried to tell him." Sokka tattled smugly.

Aang frowned at him "Snitch." he hissed at his brother-in-law.

"BITCH!" Ursa yelled then giggled again from her mortified father's arms.

Katara snapped her head to the Fire Lord "Zuko, I thought you said she wasn't saying that anymore."

Zuko quickly passed the blame "It's Sokka's fault. He said" he mouthed "ass" then went back to talking normally "and that just set her off."

Katara rolled her eyes and shifted Kya to her right hip as she went over to Zuko "Come on Ursa, let's go." she put the princess on her other hip and headed to the door "I would have been better off leaving them with Ty Lee." she mumbled as she walked out.

"Well fellas, let's do this thing." Sokka said, adjusting his sleeves and walking behind his sister.

.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

Sokka sat in the front row with Aang, Iroh and the children. He looked around at all the people in attendance and thought _I'll be glad when this thing is over with. I'm hungry._ his eyes landed on a pregnant Smellerbee, Longshot and their three sons _Damn, are they trying to birth a new generation of Freedom Fighters single handedly? Every time I see her she's pregnant. Longshot needs to learn to pull out or something. _He looked around some more then back to the front of the large room at Zuko and Bumi _They actually got crazy ass Bumi to wear something halfway normal. I don't care what anybody says, he's not as nuts as he pretends to be. _then he looked at his friend _Poor Zuko. I know this is hard on him. At least he came. And he was up to officiating with Bumi, I'm proud of the guy._ he glanced over at little Ursa _Poor kid, she'll never remember how awesome her mom was. At least she'll get to see her every time she looks in the mirror. I'll be dammed if she doesn't look like a golden-eyed Suki._

The musicians started playing and people started marching in. He focused on the tall, thin, dark haired man as he approached the front _I can't believe she's marring that jackass. I mean what the actual fuck. She's too good for him. The Dark One, ha. More like The Punk Bitch One. _The music changed and he stood with the rest of the assemblage and looked at the back of the room _I mean look at her. She's strong and independent and beautiful._

His thoughts stopped suddenly at that and his heart raced as he looked at her. She was indeed beautiful. She'd forgone her usual green for soft, pale gold silk. Her hair, surely Katara's handiwork, was pulled away from her face, held back with a pink flower and two long braids cascading from the back of her bun. And, of all things, she was wearing makeup. It was very subtle, soft pink lipstick and a bit of blush, but it made her look radiant.

_She is beautiful_ he thought. _A woman like that is wasted on Moo-Chee-Goo-Chee-La-Poo-Chee the Third. She should be with someone better. She should be with me."_

He paused in his thoughts again, stunned that he had finally admitted it to himself. For months he'd been feeling that way and not wanting to admit it, but it was true, he had fallen in love with his best friend. His very soon to be married best friend.

As the congregation sat down he started to wonder why this was happening now. Why couldn't he have felt this way a few years ago, when they were both single? _I know why. I was so stupid, still hung up on Suki. I couldn't see the forest for the trees._ _She was right there all along, but she's gone now._

.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

After the wedding Toph and her new husband stood together and greeted their guests. When it was Sokka's turn, he plastered on a fake smile and shook Moo Chee's hand. No such superficial pleasantries were needed for Toph. He side stepped and hugged her "Well, you're an old married lady now." he spoke softly into her ear.

She laughed a bit as she wrapped her arms around his neck to hug him back "I guess I am." she replied "Tell me the truth, does your sister have me up here looking like a damn clown?"

"No." he said softly, sweetly into her ear "You look beautiful.'

.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

Aang noticed Toph's eyes pop open as she and Sokka hugged and talked after the wedding. It was for a split second, but it was enough to catch his attention. He watched as the two of them seemed to pull apart in slow motion, Toph's hand going to Sokka's shoulder and the back of his neck, his landing on her waist.

_It can't be..._ the Avatar thought as he watched them separate. There was a look in Sokka's eyes, one that held the pain of unrequited love _Oh, you have got to be kidding me. Really Sokka? Really?_


	7. The Parents

**The Parents**

As the couple walked along a path on Whale Tail Island, they held hands. This was a special place. It was where they'd met and fallen in love. I was where they'd married and later conceived their only child, their baby who they missed terribly.

He'd brought her to the island to cheer her up. This time of year was always hard on her, but this day would be the hardest because it was their son's birthday, his tenth to be exact.

* * *

Eight years earlier two monks and a nun came looking for the new avatar. When it was their son's turn to pick toys, he toddled onto the mat happily, as the other children had, and chose four unassuming toys.

The little boy went back to his parents smiling hugely as he cradled his new toys in his arms. He stumbled as his little legs struggled to maneuver around the other toys. He went straight into his fathers arms who greeted him cheerfully and instantly sat down on the ground to play with his son.

The tall thin monk with the long brown and gray mustache approached them and informed them that their little boy had chosen the avatar artifacts. For a moment the couple was proud and happy, but then they realized what that meant. Their baby boy, their precious Aang would be leaving them.

The young mother fell to her knees beside her husband, her trembling hand going to the little boy's spiky black hair. "No Mama." he protested as his tiny hands went up to shove hers away from his head. She smiled sadly, then looked at her husband. He was also fighting back tears as he continued to play with the oblivious child.

The monk, Gyatso, was to be little Aang's guardian. He stayed with them for a week so that the child would get used to him before they left. The two became fast friends, as if Aang had know Gyatso all of his two years. It was obvious that Gyatso loved their little boy, and Aang felt the same about Gyatso because he had started calling the older man Baba.

On the day he was to leave the couple made sure not to let their precious baby know that they were upset. The father held the boy in his arms and smiled a large, crooked smile as the little boy twirled his little fingers in his beard. "Well buddy," he said in a smooth deep voice "you're going with Gyatso now. You be a good boy."

The little boy giggled as his father kissed him on the forehead "Baba." he cooed as he wrapped his arms around his father's head and returned the kiss.

The young man almost broke, he handed the child to his wife and turned so that his son couldn't see him wipe away his tears.

The young woman put her little boy on her hip and sang a quick little tune to him, one she would sing when he was upset, but now singing it for herself. As she approached Gyatso, she stopped and placed the boy on his feet so that she could hug him snuggly, "I love you my precious boy. Always remember that I love you very much."

* * *

Sometimes that day felt so long ago, but sometimes it felt like it was only yesterday, and this was one of those days. The couple walked hand in hand, trading sad glances and weak smiles. As soon as they reached the end of the path they were rushed by blurs of red, green and orange.

Three little boys barely missed them as they ran past, trying to get away form a nanny. "Boys!" the older Earth Kingdom woman yelled "You three get back here! Prince Bumi, I'm telling your father!" The couple looked at each other with the first genuine smiles of the day and got ready to bend some air to stop the boys so the poor old woman could catch them, but what she said next stopped them in their tracks. "Aang! Kuzon! You boys get back here right now!"

The woman's heart stopped for a second. She looked at her husband "Tseten. Did she say Aang?" she asked in a trembling voice, her heart now racing.

Tseten couldn't breath. All he could get out was a gasped "Meela."

Suddenly a man landed before the boys and they skidded to a stop. The boys held their heads down guiltily as the poor old nanny finally caught up. The couple stood and stared as the woman chastised the boys. One boy had wild, spiky hair and equally wild eyes. He was dressed in shades of green, obviously the prince the woman had been calling after. The boy on the other end had tan skin, golden eyes and black hair, obviously from the Fire Nation. Then there was the boy in the middle.

He was slightly shorter than the prince, but taller than the Fire Nation boy. The sun shone on his little bald head as he looked up at the nanny with his big gray eyes while he fought back a smirk. The couple had been looking at the boy so intently that they didn't notice Gyatso walking up to them.

"Well, hello Meela and Tseten." the now totally gray man said.

"H-hello Gyatso." the man stuttered out, still looking at his son.

"Would you like him to come here?" the older man asked, drawing the couple's eyes to him.

"Really?" Tseten asked "That would be wonderful."

Gyatso turned "Boys, come here please."

The three started walking towards then and Meela's heart slammed against her ribcage, then a thought occurred to her. She turned back to the elder monk "Gyatso," she said quietly "please don't tell him who we are. I couldn't bare it if he knew."

Gyatso nodded as the boys approached them and stopped "Boys, these are some old friends of mine. Meela and Tseten, these young men are Prince Bumi of Omashu, Kuzon of Hing Wa Island, and my charge, Aang."

The three boys smiled and bowed and the couple did the same. "Nice to meet you." Kuzon said before he turned to Gyatso "Can we go play?"

The monk smiled "Yes, you can."

Two of the boys ran off, but the little bald one stayed and looked at the couple as if he were studying then, trying to remember something. His friends calling his name broke his concentration. He bowed to the couple then ran off to be with his friends.

"He looks like you." Meela said thickly as she and her husband watched their son run to his friends.

"Yes, but he has your eyes." Tseten replied, wrapping his arms around her shoulder and pulling her to his chest."

"He is also a very good student." Gyatso interjected "You'll be proud to know that he will be getting his tattoos soon."

Aang's parents' eyes shot to Gyatso "Already?" his mother said "But he's so young."

The monk smiled a bit "He is indeed young, but he is also very strong and determined. He is excited for the day he gets tattooed to come."

Tseten and Meela looked at each other and smiled, then Tseten turned to Gyatso "So what brought you here?" he asked out of curiosity.

"Aang." Gyatso said, glancing at the boys "He's been insisting for three months that he wanted to spend his birthday here."

The couple looked at each other again. It had been three months since Tseten told his wife that he wanted to take her to Whale Tale Island. "Does he know who he is?" Meela asked.

"No." the monk answered "Another six years will pass before he is told that he is the Avatar." Gyatso caught a glimpse of the boys terrorizing Bumi's nanny "I'm sorry, I need to go help her." he said quickly before he ran off to help the woman.

"Ten, did you hear that? Do you think that somehow he knew we would be here?"

"It's possible."

"Do you think once they tell him everything he'll come find us?"

"I'm sure he will Meela. It's only another six years. We just have to wait for him."

Meela laid her head on her husband's chest, "Yes, we'll wait for him."

* * *

**So here are Aang's parents. **

**Tseten is a Tibetan name that means stable life, and, well Meela is just Meelo with an A instead of an O.**

**Aang, Gyatso, Bumi, Kuzon and Whale Tale Island by Bryke.**

**Tseten, Meela and the poor old Earth Kingdom nanny by me.**


	8. On Their Wedding Day

**On Their Wedding Day**

They had been planning for this day for a full year and it was finally here. People came to Air Temple Island from all over the world to witness the marriage of The Avatar and the Water Bending Master.

"Does anyone know if he's back yet." Katara asked as she wrung her hands. "He said he'd be back by this morning, but I haven't seen him or Appa. What if something happened? I don't know why he insisted on going to get King Bumi himself."

"Because Bumi is the only person he has left from before the iceberg, and he wants to make sure he gets here." Toph said as she swatted at the woman who was doing her hair. "That's enough lady, how much work can a braid need."

Suki and her assistant laughed "Don't worry Tara," the future Fire Lady said "We saw him and Bumi when we came in."

Katara exhaled "That's a relief. Have you seen Xing Ying, she has my dress?"

"I'm right here." the young Air Acolyte said as she came in cradling the wrapped bundle in her arms. She laid it out on the table.

The nervous bride hugged the young woman tight "I don't know what we would do with out you. Thank you so much for making my dress."

"I was happy to do it." She said as Katara released her. She smiled and brushed the bangs she was allowing to grow away from her eyes. Then she carefully unwrapped her friend's wedding dress.

Katara teared up "It's so beautiful." she said again and she grabbed the woman again and hugged her. "Thank you so much."

"So you like it?'

"It's beautiful." Katara said as she slowly lifted the outer layer out of it's wrapping. It was a light blue with large, three-quarter length sleeves a golden collar and golden trim around the v-shaped bottom. Throughout the garment were thin blue details that swirled like the wind. The under layer was a simple cream dress with gold at the ends of the sleeves. Once Xing Ying and Suki helped her get into her outfit they finished it all off with a golden belt.

Once Katara's hair was pulled into a low braid with her regular hair loopies she stood in front of the mirror. "You look beautiful." Suki cooed as most of the rest of the women in the room looked on and smiled.

* * *

Katara paced back and forth across he tent wringing her hands once again. Her friends had all gone to take their places. She stopped in her tracks when the flap opened and her brother came in. He stood there for a second and just looked at her. "Well, I don't know who's prettier, you or me."

Katara smiled. "I think you are." she joked back.

He rubbed the back of his neck and held his head down so his sister couldn't see the emotion in his eyes "Well. You're about to get married now. I guess I'll have to back off now."

Katara smiled and went over and hugged her brother. "Oh Sokka. You'll always be Captain Cock-Block to me."

He smiled and wiped the tear from his eye before he straightened up, "Yeah, well." he sniffed "it's time to get this show on the road."

* * *

Aang stood at the head of the aisle, Toph and Zuko, who he had asked to represent his family, standing to his right, Guru Pathik and Hakoda slightly behind him to the left as officiates, and Suki a little further over standing up for Katara. The young air bender was extremely excited. Finally he and Katara were going belong to each other. They really always had, but this was going to make it official in the eyes of the world.

His heart pounded as Sokka lifted the flap to the white tent and Katara stepped out. Toph placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled. "Calm it down there Twinkletoes." she said in a laughing whisper.

He looked down at his honorary sister and smiled "She's so beautiful though." he whispered back.

"You say that everyday."

"Yeah," he said dreamily as he looked back at his bride "but today is special."

Katara smiled at him nervously as she walked toward him with her brother. He didn't hear the soft music playing around him or see the hundreds of people in the crowd, he only saw her. When she made it to him they grasped on to each other's hands. "There's so many people here." she whispered, her hands trembling lightly.

"There are?" he asked "Because I only see you."

Her hands steadied as her heart calmed, taking a moment to look at him. He was wearing a cream under layer shirt covered by a blue, one sleeved robe. Gold thread waved throughout, the robe ending in a V above the knees of his golden pants. She looked back up into his sparkling gray eyes "Xing Ying made yours too."

"She did." They glanced back at the young woman in the front row and she smiled and waved. "You look wonderful." he said turning back to her."

"So do you." she blushed."

"Uhm hum." a voice cleared from behind Aang "We're all very beautiful, but I think we need to get this ceremony going. That is if you're ready."

The couple blushed and turned to Hakoda "Yes Dad." Katara said "We're ready."

Guru Pathik started "We are here today to celebrate the joining of two people, two spirits, two nations. These young people have loved each other ever since they were children, and now they come before us to pledge that love to each other for forever."

Then Hakoda said "Guru Pathik and I are here to welcome Katara and Aang into their new families, their new homes, their new nations. Our wish for them is that they continue to love each other and that that love continues to grow as the years pass. Other people my come and go, but you two will always have each other." He turned to Pathik .

"And now Aang and Katara will exchange vows that are traditional to their people." He motioned to Katara.

She held her grooms hands tighter and turned to him, looking into his eyes. "You are my husband. My feet shall run because of you. My feet shall dance because of you. My heart shall beat because of you. My eyes see because of you. My mind thinks because of you. And I shall love because of you."

Aang reached out and wiped the tears from her cheek, then the ones from his eyes. He placed his hand back around hers "Knowing how deeply our lives intertwine with each other and with all beings, I undertake the practice of protecting life. I undertake the practice of taking only what is offered. I undertake the practice of cultivating loving-kindness and honesty as the basis for speaking." the couple glanced over Katara's shoulder at Sokka for a second and smirked "I undertake the practice of using sexuality wisely" Sokka frowned and mouthed _'fuck you Aang'_, as the Avatar went on "and using it to protect our commitment to each other. I undertake the practice of avoiding substances or practices that may cloud my perception of the present moment."

* * *

The newly married couple stood and received hugs and well wished from their guest. When Suki's assistant came up and hugged Katara she said "It's been great to see you again.

"I'm glad you came."

Aang looked at the young woman, she looked familiar, but he couldn't place her. He held his hand out and said "It's nice to meet you." The woman smiled, obviously biting back a smile as she looked at Katara who was covering a giggle "What?" the young man asked looking confused.

"You know her Aang." Katara said nudging her husband.

"I do?"

The woman smiled hugely "I must say, you look different without hair Kuzon."

Aang looked at Katara, then at his old school friend with a big goofy smile "On Ji?" the young woman nodded and he gave her a huge hug "I didn't know you were here."

"Lady Suki asked me to accompany herself and the Fire Lord since I knew you."

"On Ji is the one Zuko hired to help Suki." the bride chimed in.

"Well it's good to see you again." he said "Go. Get something to eat, dance, have a good time."

* * *

Sokka stood near a tree and watched his sister and brother-in-law dance with a soft smile on his face. "And why aren't you down there working on having you're way with one of those beautiful, eligible young women." a sultry voice said from behind him.

"Had my way with a few of them. Not really interested in repeating." he answered casually.

"Well, you've been busy since I saw you last." Azula purred as she stepped up beside the warrior.

"Yeah, I got out of hand for a few months, but I slowed myself down some."

"Hum, and here I was thinking I was special. Oh well, since you're not interested in repeating your past, then I guess I should be on my way."

Sokka caught Azula's hand to stop her "And what exactly does that mean?"

"That means I came here to see one person," she looked him up and down "for one reason."

He smiled, "Well then, I think something can be arranged."

"I'm going to Ba Sing Se for a few days," she slid her hand away and gave him a seductive look "you know where to find me."

"I do indeed."

* * *

Late in the afternoon Toph, Zuko and Suki stood on the top of the hill and waved as Appa took Aang and Katara off to their honeymoon. "That was a nice wedding." Suki sighed as she wrapped her arm around Zuko's "And those vows were perfect for them."

"Yeah," Toph laughed "I wish I could of seen Sokka's face when Aang said that thing about sexuality. I wouldn't put it pass him to have put that in just to piss The Captain off."

"No, I saw them while he was studying them, that was a part of it. It was just a bonus to be able to taunt Sokka with it." Zuko said with a small smile "Where is he anyway? Shouldn't he be here to see them off."

"Naw, he said he was good enough to stand up at the ceremony with you two, that was enough." Toph answered.

They looked up and watched the newly married couple disappear in the distance. They were happy to know their friends were off on the beginning of their new lives together as husband and wife.

* * *

Katara leaned up against Aang in Appa's saddle as the sky bison flew them to their destination. "Aang, we're on the way, you might as well tell me where we're going."

He laughed as he played with the end of her braid "Nope, not going to tell you, it's a surprise. Can I take this out?" he asked holding the tip of her hair so that she could see it.

She laughed, pulled the band off and pulled the braid loose. "Okay, you got what you wanted, now tell me where we're going."

"It doesn't work like that." he said as he lovingly combed his fingers through her long chocolate curls "We're almost there, be patient."

A few minutes later they felt Appa begin to descend and Aang said "Okay, you can look now."

Katara moved to the edge of the saddle and looked over, then she looked back at him "We're going to the Cave of Two Lovers? You didn't really go just to get Bumi, did you?"

"No, I came here to get everything together." he said as he slid beside her and kissed her cheek. "I hope you like it."

She hugged him "As long as I'm with you everything will be perfect."

* * *

**They're finally getting married and everyone's there. I know it's a bit rambley, but there are a few things I had to include that help build up to other things, especially my Kataang week stuff that will be posted in a couple of weeks.**

**I actually did a bit of research. Aang's vows come from Buddhist wedding making buddhist. shtml . They're not wedding vows per se, but precepts on how to live.**

**Katara's vows aren't necessarily vows either, but a poem that I found. I can't find the link to where I found it, but it's also at my wedding vows wedding-poems /eskimo-love- song .**

**The preview is another awesome commission by LovelyRugby.**

**If you haven't already seen the full view of the clothes dupreerose. deviantart art/ Kataang- Wedding- clothes- 3809 32172**

**And last, but not least, I've not been updating the oneshots as often because I've been working on a few other things too. If you haven't seen them, they are**

**_Two Days in Ba Sing Se_ -A lot goes down on while everyone is in town for Katara and Aang's engagement party. This one is complete.**

**And**

**_The Fire Lord's Loss_ - When Suki dies everyone comes together to help Zuko through his first years as s widower. Work in Progress**

**As always, thanks for reading.**


	9. Kataang Week - Day One - Hands

**It's Kataang Week y'all. Here's the first day. Everything I wrote happens in my little head cannon, though it may show up out of chronological order because of the prompts. Anyway, in this one Aang is 24, Katara 26. Enjoy.**

* * *

**SKW - Day One - Hands**

When she woke Aang up and told him the she had had a contraction he jumped up in a panic and ran to the door to go tell Sokka it was time to get the midwife. "No Aang, don't wake him." she said, moving to slide off of the bed to stop him.

Aang turned back "No, Sweetie, don't get up." he said as he went back to stop her.

She laughed. "I'm fine Aang. We still have a long time yet. Sokka can go get her in a few hours after the sun comes up. Just sit with me. Please."

He kneeled in front of her "Katara, are you sure? I think she should be here," he rested his hand on belly "you know, just in case."

Katara chuckled again and put her hand on his cheek "We have time. Trust me, the first baby takes forever."

He put his hand on hers and leaned his face into her soft touch, "You're sure?" He asked. She nodded. "Then what do you need me to do?"

"Just sit with me. I don't think I can go back to sleep."

He smiled "Okay."

Aang got up and moved behind her then reached forward and helped her move back and settle between his legs. She leaned back, her shoulders against his bare chest, her head nestled into the crook of his neck. They sat in silence for a while. Katara watching her husband's hand move gently back and forth across her abdomen.

She watched the arrows danced slowly around her stomach, almost in a trance, as she marveled over how he always knew exactly how to touch her. It was as if he knew that she was extremely nervous about what was to come over the next several hours and was trying to calm her and the baby. Rather that was his intent or not, he was doing an excellent job of it. Katara felt herself relax as his hands moved. She loved that he would press gently whenever her felt the baby move against him.

Katara pressed a kiss to Aang's jaw and he smiled. "I take it that you feel okay."

"I do." she answered as she rested her hands on top of his as he settled them under her belly. "I think it was a false alarm…it's been more than forty minutes already. Maybe we should just try and go back to sl-"

Before she could finish Aang felt the muscles under his hands tighten as she clenched her eyes closed and leaned forward in pain "Katara?" he asked trying not to sound scared as the original panic came back over him "Katara, do I need to go get them now?"

"No." she grunted out before she bit down on her bottom lip.

When Katara relaxed back again and leaned back against his chest once again Aang asked "Did the first one feel like that too."

She blushed, knowing she had to tell him everything "The one before I woke you up wasn't the first one…they started a long time ago."

Aang looked down at her face and furrowed his brow "What's a long time ago?"

She held her head down like a misbehaved child "Yesterday around noon."

She felt his fingers twitch on her "Yesterday after-noon." he growled through gritted teeth, trying not to yell. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"They were so far apart that I knew that it would be today or tomorrow before the baby would come. I didn't want to get you all excited for nothing."

He relaxed listening to the guilty tone of her voice "You still should've told me. I would've came home to be with you."

She smiled, reaching up to put her hand on the side of his face "I know you would've, you all would've, but I was fine. And Iroh was here to keep me company. If anything changed he would've come to get you."

"Did he know?" Aang asked curiously.

She chuckled a bit. "Don't you know Uncle knows everything?" she said as she twitched her fingers against his skin. He hadn't laid into her hand like he always did. She was starting to think that he was upset with her.

They sat there for a second, then she felt his cheek lift as he smiled "Uncle is a very wise man." he put his hand on hers and leaned into her palm.

* * *

Katara was so exhausted she had actually fallen asleep between contractions. She was still nestled in Aang's chest. He didn't want to wake her, but the sun had come up and he wanted to send Sokka to get the midwife. The young air bender was considering getting up to go wake his brother-in-law when Momo came swooping in through the window.

The lemur scurried across the bed and onto Aang's free shoulder before he pulled at the man's face. "I know you're hungry buddy, but I've got my hands full. If you go get Sokka for me and bring him here then I'll let you go in the kitchen and get your own breakfast. That sound good?" Momo looked at Katara, then back at Aang "You won't get in trouble, I promise. Just go get Sokka for me, okay?"

"I heard that you know." Katara mumbled as she started to roll her shoulders to stretch her muscles. "You can go feed them. Appa can't get his own food you know." she started to sit forward, but then she fell back into Aang with her head pressing into his neck.

"Another one?" he asked as he caught hold of her hands.

"Mmhum." she whimpered out as she twisted into his body and squeezed his hand with all her might.

Sokka swung the door open "You sent Momo to wake me up. This damn well better be important." he looked up and saw his sister twisted in pain "Katara? Aang, what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," he answered, trying not to look too concerned "She's in labor. It's time to go get the midwife."

The warrior only said "Yeah." and he ran off to get the woman dressed only in the thin pair of pants he'd slept in.

* * *

A high pitched cry filled the room as the young midwife smile down at the new life. "You have a daughter." she said to the young couple who smiled tiredly at each other, their hands entangled. She swaddled the baby and placed her into her mother's arms.

Katara smiled down at the baby with tear filled eyes. She shifted her newborn into her lap and left hand as she skated the tips of her fingers across the baby's tiny features. She pulled back the soft yellow blanket to see a head full of downy dark brown curls. As she smiled at the little head full of hair a pale, arrowed hand gently cupped the top of the baby's head. She looked at his soft smile and teary eyes. She took her right hand and cradled it under the baby's bottom and held her silently up to her father.

He looked nervously at his wife and then his daughter. He copied the position Katara was holding her hands in and she placed the little one in his palms. Her little body fit perfectly in his large hands. He gasped as she opened her eyes and her stormy gray irises met his.

He smiled down at Katara as she wrapped her hands around his arm and laid her head on his shoulder. He dropped a kiss on her forehead before lifting the baby up to so the same to her. As he pulled away he stopped as the little girls miniscule hand landed on the side of his face, almost as if she were mimicking the show of affection that her parents always shared. A tear flowed from his eye as he leaned ever so slightly into the little one's palm.


	10. Kataang Week - Day Two - Sleepy

**SKW - Day Two - Sleepy**

Bumi was teething, Kya had the flu, and Aang and Katara were beyond tired.

No amount of healing would help the children, only make them slightly more comfortable. All the couple could do was take care of the children to the best of their ability and hope for their baby boy's first tooth to break through to the surface and for the little girl's flu to run its course. To make matters worse Aang still had meetings to go to and Katara had students scheduled all week. It took some juggling, but they made it work.

The nights were miserable. If Kya wasn't throwing up, Bumi was screaming in pain, or both. Between the two of them Aang and Katara had only had a few hours of sleep in a week. They were both running on pure instinct happy for any minute or two of sleep they could get.

* * *

Toph and Sokka knew that the children were sick for a few days, but they didn't know how bad it was until Sokka looked up during a council meeting and noticed Aang, sitting in his usual spot on the benches dozing off. Sokka spent the entire meeting trying not to laugh at his brother-in-law every time his head rocked back and his mouth dropped open. He tapped a code out with his foot, telling Toph that the Avatar was sleeping and what he wanted to do about it.

* * *

When Sokka, Toph and Moo Chee got on their boats and followed him home, Aang thought nothing of it. It wasn't unusual for them to come to the island every once in a while, and he didn't have the energy or the strength to ask any questions. When he got home, he fed Appa and headed to the house to try and give Katara a little relief.

As the Avatar walked into the house he heard his wife say "Oh, thank you guys so much. You're my heroes."

He walked around the corner to see his brother-in-law sitting on the couch with Kya curled up on one leg and Bumi cuddled into his chest on the other side gnawing on a chilled teething ring. "Who's you're hero?"

"Sweetie, they came to keep the kids for a while so we can sleep." she said.

"Yep," Toph chimed in "cause apparently you two look like death warmed over."

He looked at his friends "Are you guys sure? They're a handful."

"Just go to bed." Toph said as she started pushing them toward their bedroom.

Less than a minute after they turned the corner to go down the hallway, Sokka stood up, with the kids still in his arms, and went to tell his sister that they were going to take the kids outside to get some air. Their bedroom door was opened so he just stepped in. "Hey guys-"

He stopped short when he looked on the bed. There lay Katara and Aang, looking like they had just fallen across the bed, snoring. Their feet dangled off the end of the bed, their shoes were still on. Aang lay on his stomach, he hadn't even bothered to take off his cloak. Katara lay on her back, as if she had just sat down and passed out.

Sokka smiled and left them to get some rest.

* * *

**Day two, hope you enjoyed. Aang's 27/Katara's 29. I meant to post it at midnight, but I fall asleep. Irony is funny.**

**Tomorrow I offer you bittersweet feels.**


	11. Kataang Week - Day Three - Dance

**Kataang Week - Day Three - Dance**

"Katara. Katara Sweetie, wake up."

"Aang?" she said groggily as she opened her eyes "What's wrong? Are you feeling alright.?" She looked over to his side of the bed, but he wasn't laying down. He was standing beside the bed with a wide smile on his face, "What are you doing up?" she asked as she got up and quickly went to his side. "You should be lying down."

"I'm tired of laying down." he said as he ran his withered fingers through her gray streaked hair. "I want to dance. Dance with me Katara."

She looked at him confused "What are you talking about Aang? You can barely stand on your own and you want to dance?" she cupped her hand on his cheek "Sweetie, lay down and rest yourself."

The Avatar leaned into her hand and turned slightly to kiss her palm "I feel fine." he stepped back and spun around once which made his wife gasp in s small panic. "See, I'm fine" he reached his hand out to her "Dance with me." he said with a huge smile on his lightly wrinkled face. When she still didn't move he decided to play his trump card "I never thought you would deny a man his dying wish."

Tears filled her eyes and she turned her head "I told you not to say that."

He steeped back to her quickly, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't of said that. I just want you to dance with me, only for a minute, maybe two."

She smiled, the corner of her eyes crinkling as she looked up at his lean face. "Okay."

Aang wrapped his arms around his wife's waist and she put hers around his neck. They swayed together to a song that played only in their heads. In that instant Katara didn't feel like a 68 year old woman with three grown children, and five grandchildren, she felt like a young woman of 22 in the arms of her new husband. She could almost see him that way. He was no longer this 66 year old man, thin and in failing health. He was 20 again, a tall, strapping young man engulfing her in his strong arms.

They swayed together, no one else in the world but them. Now worries, no aches, no pains. Just love, just their music, just the dance.

* * *

**Day three y'all. It's super short, but it gets the point across. This was the only prompt I didn't struggle with, so I really hope I did a good job. Tomorrow will be a lovey-dovey one.**


	12. Kataang Week - Day Four - Smirk

**The next three will revolve around the first two weeks of Kataang's marriage. This a week after the wedding. Oh, and for future reference, I don't like King Kuei, so I tend to write him as an asshole. I don't know why. Aang, 20/ Katara, 22. A bit raunchy y'all.**

* * *

**Smirk**

The meeting was long and mind numbingly dull. The leaders of the four nations were gathered in Ba Sing Se for a world conference, a series of meetings to put measures in place for the newly forming United Republic of nations. At the head sat King Kuei, King Bumi and, representing her father, Toph Beifong, across from them was Fire Lord Zuko and General Iroh, to their left were Sokka and Katara, who came as their father's representatives, along with Chief Arnook, and across from them were Aang and Xing Ying.

The newlyweds sat across from the room from each other sharing longing looks. Instead of being able to go to their home after their honeymoon they had to come to the palace. All they wanted was to be naked and wrapped around each other like they had been for the past week. Whenever one would catch the other's eye, they would share a smile, a sultry look, a smirk.

When they finally called a twenty minute break, the five young friends met in the middle to the conference room. "Spirits, I thought they would never stop talking." Toph complained.

"I know," Sokka chimed in "and the one guy just keep going on, and on, and on. I thought he would never shut up."

Katara had made her way to her husband "Aang, are you hungry?" she asked him with a slight tilt of the head.

"I'm okay." he answered, still listening to Sokka and Toph complain "I can wait for the lunch break."

She stepped closer to him and he instinctively put his arms around her waist "No, you look like you could use a little something." he finally looked down at her and she was looking up at him with seductive eyes and a smirk on her lips "You _are_ hungry, aren't you?"

"Oh, um yeah." he said with a little too much enthusiasm, which caught Toph's attention. "Yeah, um, let's go see if we can find some, uh, fruit… or something."

Toph held her head down and shook it silently as the two scurried out of the room.

* * *

"Where are we going?" Katara asked as she and Aang rounded another corner hand in hand.

"Right here." he answered as he used his earth bending to open a door in the wall and close it after they rushed inside.

"This is the throne room." she said as she turned to him.

"Yes it is." he growled as he pulled her to his body and pressed a kiss on her neck.

She tried to slide out of his arms "What if someone comes in here?"

"They won't," he said as he held her tighter "Kuei always has the doors locked and makes this area off limits during these things."

She giggled "You are so bad."

"Mmmhum." he hummed into her collarbone as he led her towards the throne.

"We 're going up there?"

He picked his head up and looked at her "That's the only piece of furniture in here, and unless you want to get on this floor that's our best bet. Besides, we don't have much time, so if you plan on leaving here satisfied-"

"I get what you're saying." she cut him off and pulled him up the steps.

When she turned him around and pushed him into the plush, ornate chair he said "I'm glad you like my plan."

"It makes all the since in the world, and we don't have a lot of time, so lose those pants."

He answered "Yes Ma'am" as he lifted himself up and pulled his pants and underwear down in one swift movement.

Katara took off her panties and straddled him "Aren't you glad I wore a dress today?" she whispered breathlessly in his ear as she lifted her skirt and settled down on his erection slowly.

"Very." he exhaled before he rested his hands on her hips and lifted his head for a kiss.

They writhed and caressed in near silence, pants the only sounds echoing through the great hall for a while.

"I've been waiting for this all day." she panted as she bobbed on his lap with her forehead pressed in the crook of his neck and her hands gripped onto his shoulder.

"Oh yeah?" he breathed, his head laid back into the decorative chair back, his fingers gripping into the upper part of her thighs.

"Yeah." she squealed out, feeling the pressure build in her center "Ah…Aang!"

"Katara." he answered as he put his hands on her waist to control her erratic thrust.

Katara placed a hand on the side of his face, her thumb on his temple, fingers wrapping around to grip his neck as she curled her body and screamed his name into his collarbone one last time. Aang pressed one hand on the small of her back and the other at the base of her neck as he thrust roughly up into her with his own release.

* * *

When Aang and Katara came back into the meeting Zuko noticed that Aang's pants were wrinkled and Katara's curls weren't perfectly in place like they had been. He didn't draw attention to the newlyweds, he just looked at the Avatar and shook his head. Aang looked back at the Fire Lord, waggled his eyebrows and smirked.


	13. Kataang Week - Day Five- Candles

**Posting a little early cause I'm tired.**

**This one and tomorrow's take place the night of their wedding (sorry, no grown stuff in these). I know, this one is a little…lame, but I had this image in my head and I just wanted to write it. Tomorrow's will be better, I promise.**

**Super short fluff, enjoy…I guess.**

* * *

**SKW - Day 5 - Candles**

"Alright buddy," Aang said as he patted Appa on the nose "You know where to go, and we'll see you in the morning."

The bison bellowed and took off as the young man went to his new bride. "Where's Appa going?" she asked.

"He's going to stay in Omashu. Bumi has a stable set up for him and people to take care of him. He'll bring someone every morning to bring us food and whatever else we may need."

She looked down at the two small bag they'd brought with them "Is what we have going to be enough? I didn't pack a tent, or supplies or anything."

He smiled as he picked up the bags "This is more than enough. Come on." he reached out his hand "we'd better get inside. It's been a long day and it's about to get dark."

"Inside?" she asked as she took hold of his hand, looking at him confused as they started walking toward the cave's entrance.

"Just wait."

They walked into the cave about fifty feet, then Aang stopped and turned to the left. Katara watched as her husband use earth bending to open a door in the wall. He motioned for her to step in and she did so with him right behind her.

She saw dim shadows then she heard him close the door and it went totally dark "Aang, I can't see anyth-"

A single candle lit, then another and another. She watched the small flame leap around until what must have been a five or six dozen candles illuminated an earthen room. At its center stood a platform a few feet tall with steps that led to a beautifully made bed covered in blue and yellow flower petals. Next to the bed was a basket filled with fruit, bread and candies.

She looked at him "You didn't really leave to get Bumi…This is what you came to do? It's wonderful." she said, then looked back at the room filled with soft golden light that bounced off of every surface..

"So you like it?" he asked.

"It's perfect."


	14. Kataang Week - Day Six - Healing

**Takes place a few hours (hours….hint, hint) after **_**Candles**_**.**

**Because healing is not always physical…**

* * *

**SKW- Day 6 - Healing**

Late on the first night of their honeymoon, Aang and Katara decided they would take a bath together. Aang used earth bending to open the room up more and raised a large tub from the ground while Katara threw a dress on and went out to get. Once Katara came back and filled the tub the Avatar watched the water bender undress as he heated the water. He sat on the side and held her hands as she stepped in before he swung his legs over the edge and settled into the water himself.

Katara smiled as he groaned when the warm water washed over him. She wondered if his muscles were as tired as hers because, if so, this was exactly what they booth needed. His arms hung over the edge of the large tub and he hummed as she rubbed her hand across his back, lifting it slightly and ghosting over his scar like she always did.

Aang's brows furrowed a bit when she lifted her hand to skip over that spot "It's alright if you touch it. It doesn't hurt anymore, hasn't in a long time."

She held her head down "I can't touch it." she said quietly, backing away "Every time I even consider it, I see the lightning," she took a shuddering breath " and I see you fall." he turned around and took her into his arms because he heard the tears in her voice "It's a constant reminder that I almost lost you."

"Oh Sweetie, don't feel like that about it. I don't." he said into the top of her head "I see it as a reminder that I'm lucky to still be here, that I was lucky to have you to save me."

"That's just it," she sobbed "It was luck, just dumb luck. I didn't know what I was doing." she inhaled "I'm still not sure. I just knew I had the spirit water and I had to try."

"Then that means I'm not just lucky, I'm blessed, and we can't be afraid of a blessing."

"You can't even see the scar. You don't know what it looks like." she sighed sadly.

"I'm guessing it's a bigger version of the one on my foot; and I look at that and touch all the time."

She looked up at him, "You do?"

"Yeah," he smiled "like I said, it's a reminder that I'm lucky to be here, with you…because of you."

He let go of her and went back to the edge, leaning over it as he'd done earlier "Come here." he said looking over his shoulder. She waded over and he smiled at her "It's okay."

She reached her hand out slowly. Suddenly she was aware of everything; the fact that the water was still the exact same temperature all this time, meaning Aang was using his fire bending to keep it that way, the candle light flickering, reflecting on the walls, and on his scar. That scar that had stretched and gotten bigger as he grew, that interrupted the pale blue line down his spine, that she'd hated for eight years even though she had forgiven the person who gave it to him.

She closed her eyes and placed two fingertips there before she laid her hand over it. He smiled and looked back at her "You know, that feels really good."

She released the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding "Really?"

"Yeah. Nobody's ever really touched me there before, not on purpose." he relaxed across the edge again "I can't really reach it. It gets bumped every once and a while in spars and stuff. But yeah, it feels good."

"You're just saying that to make me feel better."

He turned around and pulled her to him again "No, I'm not. The fact that it's you might be a factor in why it feels good." she laughed and he held on to her tighter "You _do_ know how to touch me and make me feel good."

"Oh really?" she said with a giggle as she leaned up to kiss him and reached her hands all the way around him, landing on his scar.


	15. Kataang Week - Day Seven - Protection

**It's been a great first Kataang week for me and it's been fun. Tokka week is up next, starting on the August 1****st****. Hope to see you then.**

**I had the hardest time coming up with the prompt for this one, and as of one minute ago (10:50 On Saturday Night) I've been tweaking this thing. So I hope it's finally right, and I hope you enjoy it. Aang is 26/Katara 28 and pregnant...you don't want to mess with that attitude hopped up on pregnancy hormones.**

* * *

**SKW - Day 7 - Protection**

Katara had been there with her brother, husband and friends all through the creation and establishment of Republic City. She'd been there for every meeting, every groundbreaking, and still managed to travel back and forth with Aang while he did his Avatar duties. After years or this, especially with her daughter in tow and taking on students, she decided it was time for her to slow down a bit. She weighed her options, and after much thought the water bender decided to step back from politics. Katara felt that she could do the most good on Air Temple Island, helping the Air Acolytes with everyday things, teaching her students, and giving Kya a real place to call home instead of hopping from town to town or village to village all the time. After all, they had built this beautiful home and hadn't spent very much time there. When Katara realized she was pregnant again she was happy that she had made that decision.

Early in her pregnancy Katara decided to step back into politics briefly. The death of Hama a year and a half earlier had brought back old nightmares and an idea. She'd been waiting to bring it to the World Conference. The world's leaders had come together for their bi-annual meeting and she needed to have blood bending outlawed.

Late in the evening Katara stood in the middle of the meeting, head held high, shoulders straight, a hand absentmindedly resting on her slightly bulging abdomen. She had just finished her impassionate plea before the leaders of the world, Chief Arnook, King Bumi, King Kuei, Fire Lord Zuko, Lao Beifong, Oyaji, Mother Superior, Huu, and Bato and Xing Ying who were there as representatives for Hakoda and Aang who stepped aside because of their relationship with Katara. The questions started.

"Master Katara," Chief Arnook started "it is my understanding that with the death of Hama you are the only remaining blood bender, which leads me to this question. Why does it need to be outlawed, would it not be enough that you not teach anyone else?"

"No Chief Arnook, it's not that simple." she answered "Hama figured out how to blood bend on her own, without even knowing that such a thing was possible. Now that people know it is there is nothing to deter them from doing it, that's why a law is needed."

Next was Bumi "I understand your concern, but my question is why must it be outlawed? There are other unique forms of bending like metal and lightning, shouldn't we just trust people to use their better judgment with that kind of power?"

"This is different. Blood bending, it does something to you. To be able to reach inside someone and control them, it does something to your soul." she glanced back at Aang then to the leaders "I only know one person who is spiritually strong enough to handle that type of power. There is a reason the Avatar is the only one who is able to energy bend, and that is the reason that blood bending should be illegal. People should not hold that much power."

King Kuei eyed the woman who was visibly pregnant with her second child "Excuse me for asking, but I can't help but wonder, have you ever used blood bending for…personal reasons?"

Before Katara could answer Aang shot up from his seat between Hakoda and Sokka in the audience "Kuei. That is totally out of order!"

Hakoda asked his son, "What is wrong with that guy?"

"He's nuts." Sokka answered seriously as he grabbed his brother-in-law by the wrist "It's okay Buddy, Katara's got this."

Katara turned and gave her husband a small smile and he sat down, still glaring at the Earth King with a contorted face.

Zuko leaned over to the Earth King and whispered "Why don't you just go to Aang and _ask_ him to kick your ass."

"Excuse me?' Kuei asked.

"Do you remember the last time you saw _that_ look on his face?"

Kuei looked at Aang, then back to Katara "Yes, well, I believe that I will withdraw my question."

She nodded at him "That is greatly appreciated, King Kuei."

She looked at Zuko who was next "Being a firsthand witness of this power I waive my question."

Next was Lao "I am curious to know, how often have you used this power yourself?"

"I've used it twice." she said fighting the urge to bow her head in shame "Both times during the war. Once to save Aang and Sokka from Hama," she dropped her head "and once when I was looking for the man who killed my mother."

The people on the dais looked at each other, all except for Zuko who kept his eyes on his friend. Hakoda looked at Sokka and Aang confused "S-she did what?" Aang and Sokka both looked at him like naughty children who had be caught. "Did she find him?"

Before they could answer, Oyaji said "Master Katara, I see this is upsetting to you, but I would like to know what happened the second time you used blood bending."

She glanced up at him from under her lashes "It was a month or so after the Battle of the Day of Black Sun. Zuko came to me and said that he'd asked my brother about the day our mother died and he knew who killed her. We took Appa and found the ship, got on board and went to the captain's cabin."

Katara inhaled sharply and covered her mouth, trying to compose herself, when Zuko stood up, taking over where she'd left off "Katara broke the door in and he was ready. He and I battled for a minute, he drew back and was coming at me with his fist flaming and then it just went away. He fought to gain control of his arm, but it was no use, he was pulled down to the floor. I looked back and saw that it was Katara controlling his body. I knew she was strong, but that…that frightened me." he flinched when Katara sobbed once out loud. Aang was instantly by her side with his hands on her shoulders. Zuko continued "I tried my best not to show my fear and started to question him, but he said he didn't know her. She stood him up and as soon as she saw it wasn't the right man she released him. The man we were looking for had already retired."

Everyone sat in a state of shock. After a few moments of silence Mother Superior said "Master Katara said she only blood bended twice. I realize this may be off topic, but Fire Lord Zuko, did you find the man, and if so, what happened when you did?"

"We did find him. For a minute I thought she may actually kill him, but she didn't. She saw how pathetic he was and decided she didn't want to be like him. I think that Aang's words before we'd left made all the difference in the world."

Hakoda looked at Sokka in shock "Why didn't you tell me any of this?"

"She told us not to." he answered.

Huu spoke as Zuko sat down "I'd like to know what it felt like on the other end. Avatar Aang, Councilman Sokka would you mind answering that for us?"

Sokka got up and joined Aang and Katara on the floor. "We didn't know what was going on when we came up to where Hama and Katara were fighting." Aang started "All we knew was that somehow she had captured people and had them imprisoned under a mountain. They called her a witch. As soon as we got there she took control of us and made us attack Katara."

"It was horrible. It's like your mind is present, but you can't control your body. Every muscle turns against you. I fought it as hard as I could, but she made me pull my sword and sent me hurling toward my own sister. Katara had to slam us against trees and freeze us there to keep us from hurting her, then Hama did it, she broke the ice and sent me and Aang straight toward each other. If Katara didn't blood bend her when she did my sword would've went straight through Aang's skull."

"She didn't want to learn it." Aang said, pulling Katara closer to him, "she did what she had to do to save us."

Bato's heart ached for the girl he'd watched grow up, he waived his question, as did Xing Ying. "As three questions have been waived, I'd like to ask a question or two more." King Kuei said and Katara nodded her head "I understand that your little Kya has showed herself to be a water bender last year, will you really not teach her this skill?"

"It is never my intent to teach anyone this, but, if this law is not passed, I will have to so that she can protect herself and others." Katara said, her former composure restored, her husband and brother still by her side.

"And you haven't taught it to anyone else, not even your husband?"

"No." she answered stiffly.

He looked around and then sat back smugly "I'm sorry, I'm not convinced. I believe a demonstration is in order."

Katara felt a breeze pick up in the room and she grabbed Aang's hand "Fine." she bit out. "Tonight's a full moon, it'll be dark in an hour or so. Come to the north beach on Air Temple Island and I will give you your demonstration." and she turned and stormed out of the room followed closely by her husband.

* * *

"Katara, you don't have to do this." Aang said as he caught her outside the doors.

"Yes, I do Aang. I have to do this to protect you, Kya," she placed her hand on her stomach "him, the world. I can't let this go so easily."

Aang exhaled "Okay. What do you have in mind?"

"I need you, Toph and Zuko to do a huge bending display and…"

"Absolutely not!" he said.

"Aang listen-"

"No Katara. It's too dangerous."

"The only ones in danger will be you three, but I promise I won't hurt you, I just have to stop you and take you down." Aang shook his head "Sweetie, please. I need to do this to get my point across. I know you don't want to be blood bent again, but-"

"No, it's not that. I don't want you to ever have to do that again. I know how I felt when I took Ozai's bending. To have to reach inside someone…it's not a good feeling. I wouldn't wish that on anyone, especially not you."

"But if you had to take someone's bending again, you would."

He looked down at the determination in her face "If it was absolutely necessary, yes, I would." he relented. He exhaled in defeat. "I'll go talk to Zuko and Toph."

They stood on the beach of Air Temple Island in the light of the full moon. The leaders who had sat on the dais, Sokka, and Hakoda stood off to the side as Aang, Zuko and Toph stood around Katara.

"You ready Sweetness?" Toph asked "You know, you don't have to do this. I can beat some sense into them."

Katara smiled "It's okay Toph. Just bend like your life depends on it."

Toph inhaled "Okay." then she called out "Okay guys, let's do this."

Toph extended her hands and made sand dance around her in high waves. She pulled rocks from the cliff and made them circle around her while the cables on her uniform waved on the side of her hips.

At the same time Zuko surrounded himself with a wall of flames that burned so hot the sand around him started to melt and become reflective. Aang settled himself on an air scooter, water and ice swirling around one arm, rock around the other.

Katara stood there, surrounded by all this power stone faced and calm. She didn't look at any of them, she just raised her hands and their arms slapped to their sides. The bending stopped and she turned her hand toward Aang. She held the hand she had towards him extended, holding him in mid-air, then slowly lowered it until he touched the ground. She didn't look at anyone, focusing herself on what she was doing. If she had seen the look of fear in their eyes, or heard the gasps from the on lookers she would not have been able to do this.

The water bender put her hands together, moving the three other benders into a row. Then she lifted them into the air and moved them left and right before she set them back on their feet and released her hold. They immediately crumbled to the ground.

Katara ran to her friends and sat down it the sand where they were pushing themselves up on wobbly arms "I'm so sorry guys."

"It's okay," Zuko said, "it had to be done."

A solitary round of applause came from the spectators. They looked up to see Earth King Kuei stepping forward "That was a lovely demonstration, but I'm not convinced."

"What?!" Sokka growled.

"The fact is that these are all people who love her. I can't believe that they put their most into their bending. Look at the ease with which she did that, she didn't even exert any energy. I don't belie-" Kuei stopped speaking when his hands slapped to his side and his body stiffened. "Wha-what is this?"

"This," Katara said as she stood to her feet "this is blood bending." She looked fearsome in the moonlight. Her eyes narrowed and her hair blew wildly across her face as she stepped forward bringing the pompous king toward her until they were face to face. "Is it real yet Kuei?" she hissed at him "How does it feel? Do you like having someone reach into your very being and controlling you? Is this fun to you? Is this something you'd like used for 'personal reasons'?" Kuei shook his head, fear visible on every inch of his face. Katara raised her hand, holding the stubborn king 15 feet in the air.

"Katara," Hakoda called out "You've made your point honey. Put him down."

"No Dad." she said as she took a few steps back "He thinks this is just a game. If it's a game then let's play."

Katara held her hands out in front of herself "Katara, stop this." Aang said as he got to his feet. She lowered Kuei to his feet and started to make his body bend when her husband's arms wrapped around her shoulders. "Katara," he whispered in into her ear "Sweetie, he understands now. Let him go."

The water bender dropped her hands and the king fell to the ground. She turned into Aang's chest and cried "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get out of hand. They had to understand. I just need them to understand."

"They do Katara. They do."

* * *

The next day in session King Kuei was the first to sign his ballot. Blood bending was made illegal that day after a unanimous vote.


	16. Tokka Week - Day 1 - Shelter

**It's Tokka Week! Whooo! Looking forward to ODing on Tokka badassery. I hope you enjoy. I actually drew two things, so there are only five fics. I hope I did as good a job as I did with Kataang Week. As always, everything is within my crazy head cannon. In this one Toph is 33/ Sokka 37**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

**Tokka Week - Day 1 - Shelter**

Toph sat at the table and listened as the others ate, taking a bite every once in a while so no one would question that she was not eating. She kept her feet pressed tightly to the ground and watched her friends. Aang and Katara there together. Katara cutting food up for Bumi as she talked to Kya about her afternoon training with her uncle and brother, Aang steadying Tenzin on the table as he fed him bits of mashed bananas. This is what she wanted to have for her little one when she came, for them to be a whole family, her, Moo Chee and their baby, but that wouldn't be. He was so determined for her to give the child to her parents that when she refused, he left.

Now the metal bender was alone, though she wouldn't admit it to her friends she felt it. She felt alone, and worried, and afraid, but she would be strong. She had to be. She had a baby due to come soon and she had to be this infants everything. So Toph would weather this storm. She would be this little Beifong's everything because if her sorry husband didn't want them, they didn't need him.

* * *

Sokka sat between Bumi and Toph, glancing at the little earth bender as she pretended to eat her dinner. He didn't say anything about it. She'd had a hard enough day, she didn't need his sister coming down on her for not eating. He felt pained for her, and angry. How could her so-called husband leave her and their child because he couldn't have his way. It was reprehensible. Sokka would never just leave his family alone, if he had one…and he wanted one, one with Toph.

That fool Moo Chee didn't know how lucky he was. He had this strong, beautiful, wonderful woman and he'd abandoned her, and their baby…how could he leave the baby? Sokka was outraged, but he had made a decision. Toph would not be alone, she would not be left to raise this baby alone. When the time was right he would tell Toph how he felt about her, but until then he would step in and help her with her baby. He would be her shelter.


	17. Tokka Week - Day 3 - Tradition

**Tokka Week - Day 3 - Tradition**

They rarely stayed at his house, but for some reason he insisted that they spend the night there. She laid in his bed, sprawled out, comfortable, relaxed. No, his bed didn't have marble head and foot boards like hers, but that was okay. She didn't need to be on full alert when they were together.

She felt the covers lift and pulled her limbs close to her body thinking that he was about to crawl back into the bed, but she was suddenly wrapped tightly in the sheets. "What the hell are you doing!?" she yelled as he wrapped the material snuggly around her then hoisted her up on his shoulder.

"I'm kidnapping you." he chuckled, "I have a surprise for you."

"What kind of shit? Put me down Meathead!"

"Nope." he laughed as he stepped out of the front door.

She felt the cool autumn air on her face "What?! We're outside! No! This isn't funny. I'm naked under here. What's wrong with you?"

"There's clothes for you where we're going."

"Are you fucking crazy? Sokka, put me down NOW." he laughed again at the sound of her saying his name, and so did someone else. Her eyes stretched "Aang…it that Aang? Hell no! Put me down right now."

"Relax Toph, it's tradition." Aang said as he tried not to laugh outright.

"Tradition! What the fuck kind of tradition has me outside, buck naked in a sheet?"

Sokka laughed again as he sat her in Appa's saddle "Don't worry, we'll keep you wrapped up until we get you to Katara, Ty Lee and Xing Ying."

"What!" she screeched as they started to take off "I knew the Air Acolytes were too damn peaceful. You've got some kind of a crazy sex cult going on on that island." she started twisting trying to get loose "Well I'm not going to be part of your threesomes, foursomes or none of that freaky shit."

Sokka looked at Aang on Appa's head "Secret sex cult?"

"Nope," the Avatar called back "nothing like that, but last night, after the kids went to sleep, Katara and I-"

"No! Oogies! Shut the fuck up! You're going to ruin our special day."

Toph finally calmed down "Special day?" then the word _tradition _ran through her head again. She remembered a conversation with Katara twelve years earlier, one about traditions, one in particular that she and Aang were considering, but they decided not to use…for their wedding.

She turned her head to Sokka and quietly said "I know what you're doing."

He looked down at her. Toph's skin had gone paler than usual "You do?" he asked.

"Yeah." she said quietly "Sokka, I love you, but I told you before, I can't do that, not again. It'll just screw us up."

He wrapped an arm around her "Don't worry, it's not what you think. There will just be a few of us. Nothing official. Just us, our friends and Dad."

Toph's heart contracted for a second "Are my parents there?"

"No,' he chuckled "I'm not that crazy."

* * *

They landed and Sokka took Toph gently into his arms and slid down Appa's tail. He took her into the house and left her with his sister and their friends who promptly shooed him away. Katara started untying the knot "He really meant for you not to get away." she giggled as she started undoing her brother's handiwork. She looked at Toph's wild hair as the younger woman pulled her arms free and held the sheet to her breast. "Come on, I have a warm bath ready for you. We can wash your hair while you're in there." she noticed the usually outspoken police chief was quiet. "Toph, are you alright. You haven't asked what's going on."

"I already know." she said in a mono tone voice.

Katara looked at the other two women and Ty Lee nodded her head. "I think we'll go check on the kids." Ty Lee chirped as she grabbed Xing Ying's hand.

"Yes," the air acolyte replied "and we should let the guys know that it will take a while to get Toph ready."

When they left Katara turned to her friend "Are you okay with all this Toph?"

"He asked me to marry him before, a few times, but I told him I just can't. Marriage scares me. I know he said it's not official, but…I don't know." she plopped down on a nearby couch.

Katara sat down beside her "Look, Sokka knows all that, but he wants to show you that he loves you."

Toph sighed in frustration "I know the big dummy loves me. Look at all that he's done for me, and for Lin. What else would that be."

"Then let him have this." Katara said with a hopeful smile. "It'll be okay, trust me."

Toph hesitated "Okay…I hope you have something Snoozles is going to like to see me in."

Katara grabbed her braid "Well, um, he told us to get you a traditional Earth Kingdom dress for really special days…and , well-"

"No. No, not a jūnihitoe. Do you know how much clothes that is? Are you crazy?"

"When Xing Ying told him it was used for the most special of special days he told her to spare no expense in making one for you. She bought bolts of the best silk in the world. It's absolutely beautiful."

Toph thought for a second. Jūnihitoe, even basic jūnihitoe, were expensive, but the best ones were astronomical. Only royalty or the very rich wore those. This must have been very important to him. "Ok, let's get started, this is going to take hours."

* * *

Toph stepped out of the door to the sound of Katara's voice, singing an old water tribe song as Kya tapped along on a drum. At the end of the aisle stood Sokka, dressed in ceremonial Water Tribe robes with Lin propped in his arm and his father standing behind him. Aang stepped up beside her "Are you ready Sis?" he said sweetly.

"So, you're my family today." she said with a crooked smile on her face.

"You did it for me, turn about and all that." he said, reaching out and taking her hand in his.

"Oh, well just leave me out why don't you." Zuko said from her other side.

"We'd never leave you out Big Brother." she laughed, placing a hand in his.

The two men flanked their small friend dressed in layer upon layer of blues, whites, yellows and gold. As they walked Hakoda spoke "In centuries past the warriors of our tribe would fall in love with a woman from a rival tribe. In order to be together the mighty warrior would have to kidnap his bride and bring her to his village so they could be married." Toph and her honorary brothers reached the front of the aisle "Today my son had kidnapped a bride," Hakoda looked at the toddler in his son's arm "and a daughter."

Hakoda reached out to Lin who happily stretched her little arms out and climbed into his. Sokka took Toph's hands into his and recited the old Water Tribe vows "You are my love. My feet shall run because of you. My feet shall dance because of you. My heart shall beat because of you. My eyes see because of you. My mind thinks because of you. And I shall love because of you."

Toph didn't know what to say. All she knew was that she loved Sokka so much more in that moment. Then she remembered an old poem he had once read to her. "My love for you is bigger than earth, and higher than the sky. More unfathomable than the seas is this love for this man."

He smiled, also remembering the poem from the little book that Lin had found in a shop one day and wanted because of the painting of flowers on the cover. Sokka cupped Toph's face in his hands and kissed her deeply, lingering through the cheers and whistles from their friends and family. This was what he wanted, for them to proclaim their affection for one another in front of these people who loved them the most.

* * *

**Sorry guys, day 2 was a drawing. It's on my DA and Tumblr. The prompt came right to me. I like it, I hope you do too. **

**As far the vows, if you've been reading my stuff for a while, then you'll recognize them as the "traditional water tribe vows" Katara said. Toph's poem, I had to look up. When I saw that it was perfect. Links are on my DA.**


	18. Zuki Week - Day 1 - Home

**It's Zuki Weeeeeeeeek baby! Let's get it. I'm hoping we get a good turn out, but if not it okay, because our ship is small but mighty.**

**So here we are. This one takes place a few days after Two Days in Ba Sing Se. They're on their way back to the Fire Nation and decide to stop at Kyoshi Island for a visit. Tomorrow's is a picture (the prompt is Clothing, and, well, you know my obsession with clothes)**

**Zuko is newly 23/Suki 22**

* * *

**Zuki Week - Day 1 - Home**

As Kyoshi Island came into view the young Fire Lord began to get nervous. He raised his hand up to his right eye and flinched at the soreness that lingered there. Zuko had gotten a black eye the last time he'd opened his mouth about his and Suki's relationship, so why was he so determined to do it again so soon.

He had been back to island after the war, to apologize for burning the place down and offer his help. Oyaji accepted his apology, but refused the help. Though he was very kind to the young fire lord, the island chief seemed not to be ready to forgive the young man, and it was more than obvious to Zuko that the man just did not like him. That was the hard part.

Oyaji raised Suki after her parents died. Although he seemed to be very hands off and allowed Suki quiet a bit of freedom, he doted on her, and was very protective. How could he go to this man and tell him that he loved this girl he raised as his own. How was he supposed to convince the older leader that he was the right man for his little Suki.

* * *

When they touched down Suki jumped off and ran into the arms of her friends who had gathered on the beach when they saw the balloon coming towards the island. Ty Lee was right behind her, happy to visit the place that had become a second home to her. Zuko stepped quietly off the ramp, followed by his sister.

"You'd better be careful with your words Zuzu. Ty Lee says this Oyaji is very protective of Suki. You don't have Katara here to help you with another black eye." she said with a smirk.

"I didn't tell you Katara healed my eye." Zuko snapped, looking back at his sister.

She shrugged "I don't think your little healing buddy would let you get beat up in her house and not try to help you." she lied knowing very well that Sokka had been the one to tell her the full story.

Zuko's face went red "I was not beat up! It was one lucky punch."

"I'm sorry, you looked like you were in a fight. I would hate to see it if he had hit you a second time."

Zuko scowled at his sister and the turned back as he approached the chief. When he got to the man he stopped and bowed a bit "Hello Chief Oyaji, it is good to see you again."

"Fire Lord Zuko." the older man said with a small bow and an arm wrapped around Suki.

Suki nudged him "Oyaji, be nice."

The man looked down at the young woman and then back at the young king "It's good to see you too." he mumbled, then glanced at the young woman behind him.

Zuko noticed and stepped aside "This is my sister Azula"

Oyaji smiled "What a beautiful young woman. Welcome to Kyoshi island."

Azula smiled "Well, its always wonderful to meet a man who knows how to greet a woman." She turned to her brother "You could learn a little something from him Zuzu."

Oyaji smiled when he saw the way Zuko's face turned red when his sister taunted him." Come," he said "Suki says you can't stay long, so how about we have some lunch." He turned to Suki "Your cousins will be happy to see you."

* * *

"Akari, Kenji," Oyaji called out as he stepped up into the house "I hope you made extra, we have company."

Akari turned around excitedly and her brother smiled as he pulled the rolls out of the oven. "We saw the balloon." she said as she ran to her cousin "Suki, we missed you! And you brought friends." She said looking behind her older cousin at The Fire Lord and Princess.

"Yes." Suki laughed as she held the teenaged girls back to look at her "You grew. You didn't tell me were taller than me already." she looked reached out for Kenji as he approached "And look at this handsome man."

"Oh Suki stop it." the pre-teen said in a cracking voice as he wrapped his long awkward arms around her.

Zuko smiled at the scene. Suki had always talked about how important her two younger cousins were to her. They were the only blood relatives she had left. She was constantly sending them presents, to which Oyaji would send back letters chastising her for spoiling them.

They sat on the pillows around the large table and started eating. There was more than enough to go around. They sat and ate. Everyone laughing and talking as Zuko picked at his food quietly. Azula, who had been talking to Suki's young cousin, noticed her brother's nervousness. She smiled "Why Zuzu, what's wrong? You've barely eaten any of this wonderful lunch Kenji made." she looked back at the blushing young man "He really is a very talented boy," she looked back at her brother "What is it Zuko? Is your eye bothering you?" she said with a devilish smirk crossing her face.

"My eye is fine." he mumbled.

"Oh, well then maybe you have something on your mind. Perhaps you'd feel better if you got it off your chest."

"That's enough Azula." he growled at her under his breath. Suki reached over from his other side and placed a hand on his knee he looked at her and smiled. It was time, and he knew it was, but Oyaji hated him and Suki herself had once told him that her cousins used to have nightmares that he would come back and burn the village again. They were still very young the first time he'd come, he wondered if they were still afraid of him.

But now, in this place, in Suki's home, with her hand placed lovingly on his knee and her smiling at him, he knew what he had to do "Excuse me Oyaji, but I would like to talk to you in private," the older man looked him out of the corner of his eye "if that's okay that is."

The man stood up "Come. We will talk outside."

Zuko got up and followed the older man outside glancing back at Suki with a worried pout as he stepped out of the door. Once on the ground Oyaji stopped "Well young Fire Lord, I may be the chief around here, but if you need the Kyoshi Warriors to come back to guard you, you should be speaking to Suki."

"Oh, no sir. It's not that at all." he glanced away nervously then back "Actually Suki is what I needed to talk to you about."

Oyaji laughed heartily "I know better than anyone that Suki is a lot to deal with."

"She is that." Zuko interjected as a goofy smile involuntarily crossed his face."

"Yes, and if you intend to dismiss her from service that is something you would have to do yourself. I cannot help you there my boy."

Zuko's face straitened "O-oh, no sir. It's not that at all." Zuko rubbed the back of his neck nervously "The fact is Suki was relieved of her duties months ago."

Oyaji's face contracted in confusion "So why has she not returned home?"

"Because I asked her to stay in the Fire Nation…with me. We've been dating."

"Suki!" the old man called out and the fire bender flinched at the sudden boom in the man's voice.

The Kyoshi Warrior ran out onto the porch "Oyaji, what's wrong."

"The Fire Lord informs me that you were relieved of your duties months ago and the two of you have been dating." he spit the last word out as if it were poison. "Why is this the first I've heard of this."

"It's my fault," Zuko said quickly "I thought it best to keep out relationship on a need to know basis until now."

The chief folded his arms across his chest "I did not raise Suki to be some man's dirty little secret. Not even a king's. So why are you telling me this now?" he looked it Suki "You're pregnant aren't you?"

"Oyaji!" Suki yelled fist balled at her sides in offence, but Zuko stepped in again.

"It's nothing like that Oyaji!" he said with determination filling his voice "I love her. I respect her more than anyone and I want to marry her."

Oyaji dropped his arms and looked at the young man in a stunned silence, then he looked back at Suki "Do you feel the same?" he asked in his normal domineer.

"Yes, I do." she said from her place on the raised porch. Then she crossed her arms across her chest "And for the record, I'm not pregnant."

He smiled at her, then looked back at Zuko, leveling the young man a menacing look "You do know that once this is made public knowledge it won't be easy for either of you."

"We've talked about it sir. We know." Zuko answered.

Oyaji looked at the girl he raised, then at the man before him, then shrugged his shoulders and said "She's an adult. I can't tell her what to do. If she loves you, she loves you." Then he went back into the house.

Suki jumped off of the porch into Zuko's arms giggling. "What are you laughing at? He hates me."

She pecked him on the lips "That's just Oyaji. If he didn't approve he would have knocked you out and been dragging you to the Unagi by now."

Zuko's eye's stretched "Really?"

"Really. Trust me. He's fine with it."


	19. Defeat

**A little something I threw together because inspiration struck when I saw a comic by alexiel1910 on Deviantart . A little Linzin for you.**

* * *

**Defeat**

Lin, at seventeen and a half years old, was a force to be reckoned with. She was a first rate earth and metal bender, strong, fierce and beautiful. The Metal Bending Police Force trainee was quick on her feet and even quicker with her smart mouth. She looked at her sparing partner and smirked. "University is making you weak Ten." she called out to her lifelong friend as she rested her hands on her knees and caught her breath "That's three spars in a row I've beaten you."

"Perhaps I'm letting you win." Tenzin called back as he stood up. At eighteen he was tall, broad shouldered and leanly muscled. "You know how your ego is, you don't deal well with defeat." he smirked. A rare, playful jester on his part. He was usually studios and serious, but at times he let his playful side shine through.

"Defeat," she chuckled as she stood up, a few loose tendrils of curly hair that had pulled away from her low braid blew in the wind. Lin watched Tenzin's face go strait as she walked up to him "Well, I'm going home." she said and gave him a good natured punch in the stomach. He didn't flinch, he was use to it. "Good fight! Next time _try_ and defeat me!"

She turned to walk away and he grabbed her buy the arm. She turned back, intent on asking him what his problem was but when she saw his face she froze. He held his chin up and looked at her with piercing blue eyes. Tenzin said nothing, just studied her as he pulled her to him. They stood there looking into each other's eyes for a moment, a hot blush crossing their faces as Tenzin raised his hand to cup her cheek.

_What is he doing_? Lin thought as her heart raced. As his hand moved slowly to hair while his other hand wrapped around her she just looked at him, frozen in place as if she was watching this all happen to someone else. He pulled her in close, and before she could say anything his lips were on hers. She instantly wrapped her arms around his neck, one hand going to the back of his head as he kissed her deeper, pulled her closer. When they finally pulled apart the two rested their foreheads together, contemplating this kiss that seemed to come from nowhere, but had been years in the making.

He opened his eyes and looked into hers "I think I just did." he said in a husky, breathless voice.

"Wh…what?" she asked still in a little daze after what had just happened.

He laughed a little "You challenged me to defeat you," he said, his face still less than a breath away from hers "I just did."

She blinked out of her trance and tried to step back, but he held her tighter. She could of gotten away if she wanted too, _if she wanted to._ "What's your deal?" she asked, not nearly as fierce as she usually would.

"I'm tired of us dancing around each other." he answered. "I care about you, I know you care about me too."

"Of course we ca-care about each other. W-we grew up together. We-"

Tenzin gripped her tighter "Don't do that Lin, you know it as well as I do that it's more than that. What are you afraid of?"

Her ego flared up "I'm a Beifong! I'm not afraid of anything!"

"I think you are. I think you're afraid of us being together."

She narrowed her eyes at him "I told you, I'm not afraid of any-"

Before she could finish he was kissing her again. Lin felt herself melting into Tenzin's arms. She knew she cared for him, maybe she even loved him, and maybe it was finally time for her to admit defeat.


	20. Tokka Week - Day 6 - Time

**I think I'm running out of things to say, lol. I've posted so much over the past few weeks that all my little banter had dried up. Anyway, enjoy.**

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**Tokka Week - Day 6 - Time **

**Why He Loves Her**

His heart had been broken twice. When he was fifteen his first girlfriend died, the second left him when he was nineteen . He said that he would never love another woman, that his heart couldn't take it again.

* * *

When he was twenty-eight he realized that he was in love with his best friend. He had felt it earlier, but he dare not admit it, not even to himself. The truth was when Moo-Chee came back into Toph's life and they started dating, he was irritated, when they announced their engagement he was perturbed, but when they got married he was out and out jealous.

She wasn't that spoiled little tomboy he'd met all those years ago, she was a beautiful, strong, fierce young woman. He thought the man she was marrying didn't deserve her. He knew she didn't love the guy, not the way she should, but what could he do? Sokka couldn't very well go up to Toph during her wedding and tell her what he thought, she'd surely flatten him with the nearest rock. So he decided that as long as she seemed happy he would leave things as they were. He would keep his feelings to himself until they went away, after all, how long could they last.

* * *

When he was thirty-three the feelings still hadn't gone away. It had been nearly five years; five years of watching Toph and Moo-Chee together, five years of pretending that he wasn't in love with another man's wife.

His deep feelings for the little metal bender had changed him. He no longer played they field, he felt too guilty. Sokka tried to tell himself that it was crazy to he faithful to someone he wasn't even in a relationship with, someone who was with someone else, but his heart had taken control. He lived for their conversations, and making fun of his sister and brother-in-law together. He took every punch in the shoulder as sign of affection and smiled every time she called him Meathead, Snoozles, or Captain Boomerang.

* * *

When he was thirty-five Toph told her friends that she was pregnant. Sokka's heart sank, not only did this man have the woman he loved, but she was carrying his child. He tried to avoid her, tried to stay away for his own sanity, but it was too hard. He didn't understand why he wasn't getting over this crush. _I'm a grown ass man with a fucking crush, what's wrong with me?_ he asked himself _This is ridiculous. She's married to Moo-Chee's bitch ass, she's having his kid for spirit's sake. I really need to let this go._

But he didn't let it go and he didn't let her go. Months later it proved to be a good thing when Aang came and told him that Moo-Chee had left a very pregnant Toph.

Sokka went to the island to be there for her. She needed someone who loved her. It wasn't that Aang and Katara didn't lover her, but they didn't love her the way that Sokka did. Besides, they had three kids in the house already, they needed all the help they could get.

One morning, on their way to the city, Aang told Sokka that he knew how the warrior felt about the chief and that Toph had once been in love with him. Sokka kicked himself, if he hadn't been so hung up on Suki, he and Toph could have been together all that time. He made up his mind then and there that he would tell Toph how he felt once she had the baby, but, as the saying goes, the best laid plans of mice and men oft go astray.

* * *

It was toward the end of a very long, very hard labor when he had to be taken out of the room and healed because Toph had broken a couple of his fingers. When he returned Aang and Katara stepped out and she said "Sokka, Sokka I'm sorry about how I've been treating you the past few weeks, and I'm sorry I broke your fingers. I just…I just wanna say thank you for standing by me."He didn't know what to say, his mind was blank, but his heart spoke for him, "I'd do anything for you Toph because I love you."Toph didn't have time to react because just then a contraction hit her hard, she called out for Katara who seconds later announced that the baby was coming.

Sokka held Toph's hand as she pushed, all the time thinking that he'd made a fool of himself. Hopefully she hadn't heard him, hopefully he'd be able to tell her at a later date, under better circumstances. The baby's cries broke his concentration.

A bit later he found himself alone in the room with Toph and her newborn daughter, Lin. They were radiant. Toph had a look on her face that Sokka had never seen on her before. It was soft and happy and absolutely motherly. His heart swelled when he saw her like this.

She called him over and asked him to describe the baby for her, and he did so. Then, much to his chagrin, she informed him that she'd heard his confession. He didn't know what to say or do, just admit that his timing was awful. When she asked him to put the baby in the cradle on the other side of the room he took the baby into his arms.

As he looked down at the baby in his arms something he never thought would happen did, he instantly loved her. He didn't know if it was the shining black curls, green eyes, or pale skin that was so much like her mother's, or perhaps it was the simple fact that little Lin was a part of Toph, but he knew what he felt. _I don't care who she came from, this is my daughter._ he thought as he laid the baby down in the bassinet before he went back to sit on the bed bedside Toph.

* * *

It took eight months for them to actually get together. All the while he was there for her, to help her with Lin, to be by their side. She never once asked him why, never once told him to go home. He was happy to sleep in the armchair next to the baby's crib, not wanting to overstep his bounds. Then the day came that she offered him a space in her bed. That was their true beginning.

* * *

He wanted to marry her, he asked her more than once, but she told him that marriage would be a curse on their relationship. He understood why she'd say that, why she'd be gun-shy. He settled for a dedication ceremony, enough of a wedding for him, enough not a wedding for her. She was reluctant at first, but she went along with it for him.

That night, alone at his house, he helped out of the twelve layers of clothing she'd worn that day. Sokka had the dress made especially for her, requesting the most special thing the young seamstress could make. He was sure that his sister and their friend's had heard an earful while they helped her get dressed, but as he undressed her she didn't say a word, just sighed with relief every time a layer came off.

"Today was nice." she said when he got down to the last layer.

"Yes it was. Thanks for going along and not kicking my ass for springing it on you."

She smiled "I thought about it, but I'm glad I didn't. I had a good time." she said as a girlish blush crossed her face and she tipped up to kiss his cheek.

He smiled at her "I'm glad. I'm surprised you remembered that poem, I only read it once."

"I was really nice. I guess it just stuck. I'm glad it did."

"I am too." he cooed as he pulled her to him and kissed her lips. "So you really love me that much?"

"More." she answered, then, remembering his vows she asked "Do you really do all those things because of me, or did you just say that because that's you guy's tradition."

He pulled back and looked at her, confused then he smiled again "They are tradition, but we don't say them unless we really mean it."

Toph smiled up at him then laid her head on his chest, placing her hand in front of her face. Sokka held her tight, happy that they were finally where they belonged, together and committed one another.


	21. Tokka Week - Day 7 - Reality

**Well, it's the last day of Tokka Week y'all, its been fun. This one is a little rough, I hope I get everything across. **

**(posting three things tonight because I forgot to post here last night.)**

**Enjoy**

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**Tokka Week - Day 7 - Reality**

Sokka was afraid Toph would be upset. His past had come back and it came back with a vengeance. After the council meeting a young woman was waiting for him near his office, a young woman who looked eerily like his mother, a young woman who said she was his daughter. When he told Toph and his friends what had happened she didn't get upset or lecture him on the way he'd lived his life during his twenties, she just told him it would all be okay, and if this really was his daughter she would welcome her into their life.

That night she just wrapped her arms around him and held him tight. She knew that his mind was a jumble with what ifs, confusion and emotion. Her capacity to love and understand him never failed to amaze him. She was always exactly what he needed. The next morning would be hard and he was grateful that she would be there with him.

Toph sat, leaning against Sokka's desk, listening. Today she wasn't his mate, his partner, or even his lover. Today she was a friend with a special talent that he needed her to use to help him. He needed her to tell him rather or not these women were telling the truth.

* * *

The younger woman, Kimi, was twenty years old. She had come to Sokka the day before and told him that he was her father. The older woman, her mother Shima, had come with Kimi to Sokka's office so that he could question them both. Sokka admitted that he had been with this woman over twenty years earlier and she had left suddenly, so it was all possible, he just needed to know that it was true.

Toph felt the woman looking at her. She knew that Shima could tell that she and Sokka were much more than just friends, but that was none of this woman's business. Toph listened as Sokka questioned the women and they answered. This girl was his child, a child who had been conceived during a time when Toph was secretly in love with him, but Sokka was so busy being a Casanova that she didn't want to be bothered with him. She'd known about his lifestyle back then, but it had been so long ago that she never thought it would come back.

But here she was, this young woman who'd grown up without her father, but wanted nothing more than to know him. And here he was, raising a child who wasn't his, never knowing that a child of his was out there in the world. She knew him well enough to know that if he had known about Kimi nothing would of kept him from her. So she would make room in their little family for his daughter, just as he had made room for hers.


	22. Zuki Week - Day 3 - Paint

**Day three baby! Everything I wrote for this week takes place with in the same month except for the last one, which will take place about two years later.**

**Enjoy**

* * *

**Zuki Week - Day 3 - Paint**

Suki sat in front of the mirror, open containers spread out in front of her as she pulled the brush across her eyelid with one final stroke. She looked at herself and exhaled, a sad smile crossing her red lips when there was a knock at the door. "Who is it?" she called out.

"It's me Honey." Zuko said from the other side. She got up and opened her door "Hey, where are you going all painted? I didn't know you were getting into uniform."

"I'm not going anywhere." she sighed as she turned and went back to her vanity. "I sent in my resignation this morning so they can choose a new captain."

He stepped forward and put a strong hand on her shoulder. "You know you'll always be a Kyoshi Warrior, don't you?"

"I know." she said sadly "But, I just miss the action sometimes."

"I know you do. I'm sorry you had to choose between that and me."

She tilted her head and looked at his hangdog expression in her mirror "Don't be." she said as she put her hand on his "I love you, and rather I choose you, or someone else, once I became engaged I knew I would have to resign."

"I guess I knew that." he said as he bent down and wrapped his arms around her, resting his head against hers "I'm glad you choose me." he said, trying his best to make a joke.

She smiled and leaned her head snugger against his "I'm glad I choose you too." she turned to kiss him on the cheek but laughed as she saw that some of the fresh white paint had rubbed off on his face. He looked at her with a pout "It looks good on you." she laughed.

He smiled and pulled her to him "Then come here. I think I need some more." an he kissed her deeply smearing the red paint on their lips.


	23. Zuki Week - Day 4 - Name

**Zuki Week - Day 4 - Name**

Zuko groaned as he ran his hands down his face "This does not have to be this hard. I don't see what the issue is. Her name is fine." he said to his head advisor.

"Your Highness, it's fine for now, but we cannot have a Fire Lady going by the name Suki of Kyoshi Island." the older man, Hisato, said, partially pleading with the young Fire Lord. "Sire, it just isn't done."

"It isn't done because we've never had a foreign Fire Lady before."

"That is exactly my point Sire. There are already people who are…displeased with the fact that you have chosen a woman who is not of the Fire Nation." he looked at Suki sadly "I'm sorry Milady, but it you do not sever ties with your homeland and claim the Fire Nation as your home I fear that there may be and issue. The first step would be changing your official name after you are married."

Suki looked at Zuko then back at the advisor "I do claim the Fire Nation as my home, but I can't disown Kyoshi Island. It's a part of what makes me, me."

"Then I fear there will be a rebellion." the advisor said lowering his head. "There are those still loyal to the old ways."

Zuko exhaled "Is there any other way."

"No Your Highness, not that I can think of."

Suki's assistant, On Ji stepped forward "I know it isn't my place, but I have an idea."

The advisor scowled at her "Young lady, you are correct. It _isn't_ your place." he snapped.

Zuko cut his eyes at the old man "I employ her, so I say what is her place." he turned to the young woman and smiled "On Ji, what is your idea?"

She smiled at him "Well Fire Lord Zuko, I was thinking. Perhaps an amalgamation would be in order."

"An amalgamation?" the advisor as in a disgusted tone with a smug look on his face.

On Ji returned the look "Yes. It basically means mixture." she said in a condescending tone that caused Zuko and Suki to cover a laugh "As I was saying, by using the word 'yori' I think Lady Suki could have a name that would both honor her home and please the people of the Fire Nation."

Suki smiled hugely "Why didn't I think of that? It's perfect."

"Yori?" Zuko asked, confusion written all over his face.

"Yes. It's an Earth Kingdom word that means 'from' or 'of'. It would be the perfect way to bond the names."

Zuko smiled "So what is this new name."

On Ji smiled as Suki wrapped her arm around Zuko's, already knowing what her assistant was about to say "Fire Lady Suki Yori Kyoshi of Capital City."

* * *

**Just a little something short and sweet. Hope you liked it.**

**Hisato Japanese name that means "one with long life". We'll be seeing a little more of him in "The Fire Lord's Loss".**

**Yori is a Japanese word that means "from" or "of".**


	24. Zuki Week - Day 5 - Skin

**I couldn't do Skin without a teeny tiny bit of smut. Takes place during 2 Days in Ba Sing Se. I hope you like it.**

**Oh and Day Six is going to be a picture. Sorry guys.**

* * *

**Zuki Week - Day 5 - Skin**

Suki laid on her stomach across the bed in Zuko's room at Iroh's house while he rolled the calloused tips of is fingers across her body. He smiled as he watched the early morning sun dance across her lightly tanned skin thinking about the fact that they had finally given themselves to each other the night before.

It had been dark in the room that night, the only light coming from a small lamp that didn't lend itself to seeing the details of each other's body. But in the early morning light he studied her. The way her skin contrasted at her tan line, a side affect of living in the heat of the Fire Nation those past few years. The line of three red freckles that ran beside the middle of her spin and the way his hand just naturally slid down to the curve of her waist where he stopped when he noticed something, a scar on her hip.

"Suki," he asked lightly, tilting his head with concern on his face "What is this?"

She pushed herself up on her elbows, looked down and bit her lip "It's a scar." she said plainly, not really wanting to say where she got it from. "I'm a warrior you know, we have scars."

He looked at the scare more closely "I know that." he said in a dry voice remembering the pale lines that marked her arms and leg. Nicks she'd gotten while practicing the fans with the other warriors or in battles "No, this one is…different, deliberate."

Suki held her head down, knowing she would have to tell him sooner or later "When Azula, Ty Lee and Mai captured us…during the fight…one of Mai's knives got through my armor and cut me. Pretty deep really."

Zuko looked at her, sadness crossing his face "I'm sorry that happened to you." he said in a melancholy tone.

She huffed and let her head flop before looking back at him with a little smile "Don't be, it was a long time ago."

"I know," he said as his eyes started to roam back down her body "it's just tha- wait," he stopped at a spot on her side at the top of her ribs, she groaned "what is that? Who burned you?"

"Zuko," she whined "can't we just enjoy the morning."

He looked back at her face, eyes narrowed and full of seriousness "I want to know who burned you." he said flatly.

"Azula did." she said, lowering he eyes back to the pillow. The Fire Lord moved quickly to jump up off the bed, but the Kyoshi Warrior was just as fast and grabbed his forearm to stop him "Zuko, what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to talk to my sister." he snarled as he pulled away and went to get his pants from the floor. Suki ran in front of him, standing on the pants in question "Suki. Move."

"No Zuko."

He let out a low growl and turned to his closet. She jumped in front of him again "What's the point of doing that? It was eight years ago. She's not the same person anymore, and you know that better than anyone." she stepped to him and spread her hand across the scar splayed out across his chest and looked into his eyes "Don't you?"

His face softened "She has changed." he admitted with an exhale "I know she has…we all have. I just don't like the idea that anyone hurt you, even if it was in the past."

Suki smiled , still pressing her hand lightly to his chest "I know, and I don't like the things that happened to you, but our experiences have made us who we are."

"You're right." The Fire Lord relented, relaxing under the warrior's hand.

She started nudging him back toward the bed "Now mister Fire Lord, I believe you were doing a bit of exploration and you are not the type of man to leave a job undone."

Zuko smiled "No, I'm not. I always finish the job."

Zuko huffed as landed on the bed after a slight push from Suki. She smirked at him as she slowly crawled onto the bed and laid on her stomach once again, her head resting on top of her layered hands. He put his hands on her shoulder and slid it down her back to her side, cradling the burn mark between his thumb and forefinger before he leaned over and kissed the spot, then he moved down and kissed the thin pale line on her hip before looked up at her "Where else?"

She pulled her hear back, revealing another small burn right at the bottom of her hairline. His lips pressed delicately to the area, his breath sending thrills across her skin. The fire bender moved close to her ear, his warmth dancing on her lobe as he asked "Where?" She turned over and reached across her chest to touch a spot on the end of her collarbone near her shoulder. He kissed her again, lingering a bit to run his tongue lightly across the remains of a four inch gash.

Suki let out a stuttering breath before she put her hands on either side of his face and guided him so that they were nose to nose. She turned his face and gently pressed her lips on the place on his left cheek where his scar met regular skin.. He inhaled deeply, looking at her with her eyes stretched until she kissed him again, closer to his eye. He closed his eyes as he exhaled and she kissed his lid. The warrior moved her hand from his cheek slowly to push his hair back and lifted her head to place a slow, soft peck on what was left of his ear.

He inhaled sharply, a single tear rolling from his damaged eye. No one had ever showed his scar that much care, that much tenderness. They avoided it, like it was something to be afraid of, like it wasn't even a part of him.

Suki felt the tear touch her face and pulled back to look at Zuko. Tears shimmered in his golden eyes and emotion was all over his face "No, nobody ever-"

Suki pulled his lips to hers before he could finish his sentence "Because I love you," she brushed her hand across the left side of his face "all of you " she uttered lightly before she pulled him to her, lavishing her love with a deep, lingering kiss. She pulled away slightly "and I need you." then she spoke on his lips with a heady whisper "I need you Zuko." as she reached down and wrapped her hand around his already hardened length. He slid his hand down her side and lifted her leg until she wrapped it around his waist. Zuko groaned and Suki gasped lightly as he filled her completely.

The night before had been about passion, two people who had been longing for each other for months finally coming together, but at that moment it was about love. There was nothing hurried about the moment as they came together again and again with slow but insistent thrust, covering each others' faces and necks with needy kisses. Until the heat became too much and Zuko groaned out his lover's name as he found his release. Seconds later, with his long, dark hair twisted in her hand and his name falling from her lips like a long memorized chant, Suki followed him.

They laid together, Zuko still partially covering Suki, her hand still tangled in his hair, breathing harshly onto each other's flushed flesh as they tried to regain their breath. Zuko's fingers pressed softly on Suki's sweat dampened skin, smiling softly thinking about how this woman was the perfect one for him She accepted all of him, the good and the bad. The things other people shunned, she embraced. This was exactly why he wanted to marry her.


	25. Zuki Week - Day 7 - Addiction

**Well, I had a Kataang week pregnancy story, and a Tokka week one, guess who's turn it is.**

**Zuki Week has been super fun guys. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.**

* * *

**Zuki Week - Day 7 - Addiction**

It all started with seven simple words,

"Zuko, we're going to have a baby."

After that is seemed like every time Zuko got near Suki he had to touch her stomach. At first she thought it was sweet, but as the months went by it began to irritate her. Whenever he hugged her he would press his hand to her stomach before he would walk away. He would sleep with his hand there, reach over during meals, even sneak up on her as she walked down the hall. And on top of that his hand seemed to be warm, warmer than usual, and for him, that was saying a lot. It was annoying. She understood that her pregnancy was a happy accident and that he was excited, but he was wearing on her nerves. One particular day, when she was five months along, she had had enough.

He snuck up on her that afternoon while she was walking down the hall to the library and wrapped himself around her, his hand landing on her. She swung around, frustrated, and swatted at him "Stop it Zuko, just stop it!" she snapped as she popped him on the hand.

The fire bender rubbed the back of his hand, confused "Stop what? What did I do?"

"You keep…touching me. It's irritating. Ever since I told you I was pregnant you've been hooked on pawing at my stomach. Your hands are hot. How would you like it if I did that to you fifty times a day for two and a half months!?" she reached out and touched the bottom of his stomach a few time "That's fun isn't?" the warrior did it a few more times, more forceful out of frustration "Don't you just love it?" Zuko threw his head back and laughed which just served to upset Suki more "Oh, this is funny to you?!" she asked and she pulled a fist back.

Zuko crossed his arms in front of his abdomen and bent down to protect himself "Whoa, whoa. Just wait a minute." Suki stopped mid-swing and stood up strait, crossing her arms over her chest. Zuko stood up strait with a smile on his face "You don't feel it, do you?"

"Feel what?" she asked annoyed, starting to tap her foot.

"Of course you wouldn't feel it," he said, taking a tentative step toward her "It's with you all day, everyday."

She stopped tapping her feet and dropped her angry expression "What's with me?" she asked, caution in her tone.

He reached up and pulled her hands into his "The heat." he said, his smile widening, "She-"

"He." Suki interrupted as she always did when Zuki would say that the baby was a girl.

He rolled his eyes and dropped his head with a huff "_The baby_," he clarified before he raised his head "is giving off heat."

"What?" Suki asked, not thoroughly convinced.

Zuko held her by the wrist "Just concentrate on your hands." she looked at him, and did what he asked.

He directed her hands to her belly she looked down and then back up to him in confusion "The baby is giving off heat." she repeated, stunned that she hadn't felt it earlier. It was so obvious, but like Zuko had said, since it was with her all day, every day, she hadn't noticed it.

"I was just saying hello to the baby," she said as he placed a hand under hers, warming it slightly "sending her some heat back." he was surprised that she didn't correct him that time, then he felt movement under his hand. He looked down at their hands, then up at his wife's face.

They both had looks of elation and surprise on their faces. "Did you feel it too?" Suki asked, a smile spreading across her face.

"She moved. Did she just move?" he asked excitedly.

"Yeah, _he_ moved." she said wrapping her arms around her husband's neck "He moved nice and strong just for you."

* * *

Suki laid her own hands on her belly regularly to feel the heat. "I can't send it back like your daddy can," she said one day when her delivery was drawing near "but I feel you." The baby moved in return and she smiled.

"I remember not long ago you yelled at me for that." Zuko said as he walked into the bedroom and closed the door behind him.

She looked up at him from where she sat in the middle of the bed and shrugged "It's a habit now." she said with a smirk "Come on," she said reaching her hand out to him "you know you want to."

He crawled onto the bed and laid on his stomach beside her, resting his warmed hand on her stomach. The baby immediately started moving under his hand . He placed his lips close to Suki's belly "Hello to you too."


End file.
